Rangers get third shutout in a row

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Texas Rangers pitchers keep posting zeros -- 31 in a row, to be exact.

“It’s a contagious thing,” reliever Jamey Wright said. “You want to come in and keep the momentum going. You really want to be in there right now.”

The Rangers got their third consecutive shutout and extended the second-longest scoreless streak in team history to 31 consecutive innings, when Scott Feldman, Wright and two other relievers combined on a four-hitter in a 4-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Friday night.

“You’re not worried about breaking the streak, but it is contagious,” said Feldman (1-1), who pitched six innings. “You see other guys going out there, how they pitch, how they attack the hitters, and try and do the same thing.”

Wright took over from Feldman and threw a perfect seventh for 29 scoreless innings in a row, making it the second-longest streak. Joaquin Benoit and C.J. Wilson finished it off for 31.

Left fielder Brandon Boggs, playing only his 11th major league game, recovered from an early hard crash into a wall to go three for four with a home run and three runs batted in.