A’s Win, 4-3, Clinch at Least a Tie for Title

The Oakland Athletics clinched at least a tie for their second straight American League West title, beating the Texas Rangers, 4-3, Tuesday night on Dave Henderson’s two-run homer in the eighth inning.

Oakland leads the American League West by five games. Second-place Kansas City, which eliminated the Angels with a 4-0 victory, can tie only if it wins its last five games and the Athletics lose their last five.

Dennis Eckersley (4-0), who wasted a chance to save the game in the eighth, pitched the final 1 2/3 innings, giving up Thad Bosley’s sacrifice fly in the ninth.

With the score 2-2, Walt Weiss started the eighth with a bunt single off Mike Jeffcoat (9-6) and took third when third baseman Dean Palmer’s throw went over the head of first baseman Rafel Palmeiro. Reliever Gary Mielke got Rickey Henderson on a ground-out, but Henderson followed with his 15th home run of the season.

Henderson singled to lead off the fourth and scored when Jose Canseco’s liner to left skipped past Pete Incaviglia for a double.

Texas, held hitless for five innings by Curt Young, tied the score in the sixth. Mike Stanley singled to center and took second when Henderson misplayed the ball for an error. One out later, Fred Manrique reached base when third baseman Tony Phillips booted his grounder. Jeff Kunkel followed with a grounder that bounced off Young’s glove for a run-scoring infield single.

Oakland went ahead, 2-1, in the seventh when Dave Parker doubled with two out and scored as Manrique, the second baseman, bobbled Phillips’ single up the middle. Parker bowled over catcher Chad Kreuter on a close play.

Texas tied the score in the eighth. Kreuter walked with one out, and Manrique singled to chase Young. Cecil Espy, running for Kreuter, combined with Manrique on a double steal and scored on pinch-hitter Harold Baines’ groundout.

Carney Lansford, hit in the ribs by a pitch from Texas reliever Gary Mielke Monday night, was out of the lineup and listed as day-to-day.

“He took one, took one hard,” Oakland Manager Tony La Russa said. “Knowing him, he’s going to push it to the limit to be back soon.”