Rangers beat but do not win

The Coliseum City's poster board, just behind Rangers left-field player Joey Gallo, featured the Fenway Park Finals as the A's rallied for four innings in the second set.

HOU 6

BOS 3

No matter what the A would do from there, they could not win the first place Friday in Houston, so they did the best: They beat the Rangers 8-4 behind the two goals of rookie Ramon Laureano. short.

The separation remains 3½ games with 20 games for the A, who hope to reduce the deficit before the end of the weekend. While Oakland hosts the worst Western team in the AHL, the Astros face the Red Sox, the most winning club in the majors, with just three wins less than 100.

With its fourth win in five games, the A have moved 28 games over .500 for the first time since August 9, 2014.

It was normal for Hall of Fame member Rickey Henderson to be in the house, holding the record for the opening number of runs (81) and Laureano's first-timer witness, alongside the team's canoe. AT.

Laureano led for the second time and has four more hits, including two doubles Wednesday against the Yankees (8-2). On Friday, he opened the first race with a Yovani Gallardo circuit and, before returning to the canoe, hit Henderson.

For someone who was not in the plans for 2018 and who was practically not present in the spring, Laureano appeared as a valuable asset in the Oakland playoffs. Acquired in November from the Astros (of all teams), Laureano plays a stellar defense in the center of the field and has reached .309 since his debut in the major leagues 3 and .340 in his last 18 games.

Marcus Semien's two-point homerun and Matt Chapman's run scored the second rally, and Laureano's second-round started a three-point climb in the sixth. It was the second match of two games of Laureano.

The A's earned their first win in three bullpenning attempts, with Liam Hendriks opening the pitchers range with a scoreless first. It was Hendriks' third start in six games, and do not be surprised if he challenges the Oakland record for a September month with a pitcher.

It belongs to Catfish Hunter, which had eight starts in September 1973, including seven in three days off. Of course, the Hendriks will not get closer to Hunter's 522/3 innings, 10 coming in a full match.

Chris Bassitt, recalled from Triple-A on Friday, threw three innings and conceded a two-run homer to Joey Gallo, and Yusmeiro Petit followed with two perfect innings and won.

Fernando Rodney launched the seventh, dropped the bases charged for southpaw Ryan Buchter, who pulled Rougned Odour off an unoccupied track to the alert track. The August 11 apparitions to Rodney with the A's were scoreless, but he went all three rounds of September.

While Rodney was on the mound, another finale broke out on the outdoor display board.

NYY 4

SEA 0

The A did not win the Yankees either. Like the Astros, the Yankees started the day with a three-and-a-half advantage over the A to get first place in the wild card.

To maintain the status quo, the A's had to finish the Rangers, and it was not easy. Jeurys Familia conceded an eighth inning, prompting manager Bob Melvin to get rid of Blake Treinen. With two men in the scoring position, Jurickson Profar beat second baseman Jed Lowrie for the final.

Treinen, the seventh thrower of the A, started the ninth, earned his 37th save and lowered his ERA to 0.90.

John Shea is the national baseball writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @JohnSheaHey