All LOCKED UP in the WEST...STRAILY hangs on to get the Win as the ATHLETICS chase RANGERS Starter HOLLAND in the 5th...A's and RANGERS tied up on LABOR Day 2K13...A CUP of JOE in the SHOW Report "LABOR Day Recap" Game #2 #BlackHoleHardballBiz

The Oakland Athletics are now 7-1 in their last eight games and now you can include division rival the Texas Rangers as their latest victim in the "Black Hole for Hardball". Neither Starter Derek Holland for the Rangers or Dan Straily for the Athletics brought their A-Game but Straily outlasts Holland to get the "W" as the A's win 5-2.

The A's chased Holland after Derek went 4 2/3 innings and allowed four runs on five hits as he issued five free passes and struck out just one. A's CF Coco Crisp remains the hottest Brand Cereal in the Junior Circuit's Cereal Aisle as he takes Holland for a two-run bomb in the 5th to end Holland's Day. 2013 HR Derby Champ and Cuban OF Yoenis Cespedes also took Holland deep early in the 2nd frame for a Solo Bomb. It was 2-2 in that bottom half of the 5th when Crisp took Holland deep and that was the game-winner but the Rangers Pen shut the A's down after that bomb.  Rangers Offense was supplied by OF David Murphy as he took Straily for a Two-run shot in that somewhat busy 5th frame as it turned out.

The Rangers and Athletics are now locked up at 78-56 in the AL West with a comfortable 15-game lead over the 3rd place Halos. How the West is Won as there can only be One!