Athletics force 1-game showdown for AL West title by beating Rangers 3-1

Josh Dubow, The Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. - Travis Blackley allowed one run over six innings in a strong bounce-back performance that helped the Oakland Athletics move into a first-place tie in the AL West with Texas and set up a one-game showdown for the division title with a 3-1 victory over the Rangers on Tuesday night.

A night after holding a raucous celebration after clinching their first playoff berth since 2006, the A's erased the last piece of what had been a 13-game deficit in the division race on June 30 to take a share of first place for the first time since March 29.

Blackley (6-4) gave up three hits and struck out five a week after the Rangers knocked him out with a five-run first inning in the shortest start of his career. He allowed only an RBI double to Josh Hamilton in what was the latest surprising performance in an improbable season for the low-budget A's.