Texas started fast, riding Joc Pederson’s 2-run blast and Josh Jung’s solo shot to seize an early lead as Jacob deGrom spun five shutout innings for the Rangers. Oakland’s offense finally woke in the eighth, stringing together five runs, highlighted by Jacob Wilson’s two-run bloop double, Tyler Soderström’s RBI double, and Carlos Cortes’s later tally, but the rally fell short in a 9-6 loss and a series sweep.

The A’s slugfest effort wasn’t enough to slow Texas’s top pitching and bullpen, and the club now heads to St. Louis with rookie Luis Morales making the opener while the Cardinals counter with Sonny Gray. Texas, meanwhile, looks to carry momentum into the next slate after a strong team effort and deGrom’s vintage performance anchored the win.

Josh Jung’s revival has become the spark for Texas as injuries reshape the lineup. After a mid-season demotion to Round Rock and a bench stint in August, Jung has surged back into everyday duty and is delivering in a big way, helping the Rangers close ground on a Wild Card spot.

In the last 15 games Jung is hitting .347/.385/.490 with a seven-game multi-hit streak, and in seven recent games he’s at .517/.533/.724. He’s facing off-speed and breaking pitches more effectively, cutting his strikeouts while maintaining a low chase rate, and tying this sharp run to swing tweaks and better ball tracking that have his hard contact up well above his career norms.

Bochy has emphasized the mental reset, noting Jung’s ability to “de-clutter your head” and compete. With core injuries piling up, Jung’s performance has become central to Texas’s resurgence, underscoring how quickly a veteran prospect can flip the narrative when he refocuses and the team sustains a winning grind.

Texas exploded for nine runs as Jung fueled the attack, going 3-for-5 with two doubles, two runs and two RBI, lifting a four-game win streak that nudges the club to 3Above/.500 and within 2.5 games of a Wild Card berth. Over the past two weeks Jung has surged to the forefront, posting a .347/.385/.490 line and informing fantasy rosters that his hot stretch isn’t slipping away.

Merrill Kelly outpaced a debuting Mason Barnett, holding the A's to minimal damage beyond two third-inning solo homers, while Texas capitalized on the rookie’s nerves. The win sets up a September push with deGrom slated to return and start the finale against Oakland’s J.T. Ginn, keeping Texas squarely in the playoff chase as August closes.