ARLINGTON, Texas -- When Bob Melvin went to the mound in the fifth inning, he wasnt going to take Sonny Gray out of the game. The Oakland Athletics manager had a reminder with a pep talk.Youve got to remind him who Sonny Gray is, Melvin said. Sonny Gray is one of the best pitchers in the American League.Gray, an All-Star last season but with a 5.49 ERA before Tuesday night, overcame that one volatile inning and had a season-high eight strikeouts as the As beat the AL West-leading Texas Rangers 6-3.The only hits Gray (5-9) allowed came to five consecutive batters to start the Rangers fifth, including deep opposite-field homers by Joey Gallo and Mitch Moreland. Gray had retired 12 of the first 13 batters before that and struck out the last two batters he faced to finish the sixth.The first four innings and even the sixth inning, thats the pitcher that I want to be and the pitcher that Ive been my whole career, not only in the big leagues, but my whole life, Gray said. I dont know what its been this year. I cant explain just the one inning.Josh Reddick drove in three runs for the As, who won for the fourth time in five games. Reddicks two-run homer in the fourth was one of three homers by the As. Coco Crisp and Marcus Semien also went deep.Gray, who has won all six of his career starts at Texas, struck out all three batters in the first and had five Ks through two innings.In the third, he had a nifty defensive play, bouncing off the mound toward the third-base line to field a high chopper. He made a backhanded catch and then an off-balance throw falling toward the line to get Robinson Chirinos out at first.He pitched great, and he got through a tough spot, which he wasnt able to do against them the one time at home, Melvin said. Hes working through some things in a difficult year for him, and he got through it tonight. He got us through six innings, and he pitched great.Crisp led off the fourth with his eighth homer of the season, and Reddick homered after Jed Lowries single. Semiens 21st homer started the fifth off Nick Martinez (1-3) before Reddick added a run-scoring single for a 5-0 lead.The no-hit bid for Gray ended when Rougned Odor singled on the first pitch of the fifth, though he was easily thrown out trying to stretch a routine single to right into a double.Gallo then homered, a 448-foot opposite-field blast over the As bullpen in left-center. Ryan Rua singled before Moreland also went the opposite way over that bullpen, a 423-foot homer.Martinez gave up five runs and six hits while pitching into the fifth after being recalled to start in place of Kyle Lohse, the 37-year-old right-hander designated for assignment with a 12.54 ERA after losing both of his Texas starts.Three solid innings, two challenging innings, manager Jeff Banister said. We liked what we saw the first three innings.BIG PROSPECTWith Prince Fielder expected to have season-ending neck surgery, the Rangers recalled Gallo to give them a left-hander with potential power. Gallo hit six homers in 36 games last season in his MLB debut, but had just one at-bat this year for the Rangers before Tuesday night.SHORT HOPSThe start of the game was delayed 62 minutes because of rain. ... Gray has allowed 17 homers, matching his career high set last season. The right-hander had been 1-8 with a 6.45 ERA his previous 14 starts. ... Oakland C Stephen Vogt returned after missing three games while on family medical leave.TRAINERS ROOMAthletics: LHP Rich Hill, who hasnt started since July 17 because of a persistent blister, hopes to return Sunday. He threw a bullpen session with tape over the blister Tuesday after playing catch with it uncovered.Rangers: SS Elvis Andrus was out of the lineup for the second time in a nine-day stretch that also included an off day for the team. Banister said Andrus was a little banged up but would play Wednesday.UP NEXTAthletics: Lefty Sean Manaea (3-5, 4.61 ERA) has allowed only two runs in 20 innings his last three starts -- and the As have scored only once while he was pitching in that span.Rangers: Yu Darvish (2-2, 3.12) is winless in his two starts since returning from the disabled list, but the Rangers have scored only two runs total for him in those games. The right-hander struck out 11 in six innings at Kansas City last Friday.Gerald Green Rockets Jersey . Burke is expected to miss two to three months after breaking a finger in the teams third preseason game. Tinsley, a 10-year veteran, spent the last two seasons in Utah, where the point guard averaged 3. Eric Gordon Rockets Jersey . The Nashville Predators were glad their captain was still on their side. Weber had a goal and two assists, and Roman Josi scored the shootout winner to lift the Predators to a 4-3 win over the Flyers on Thursday night. http://www.therocketsofficial.com/Authentic-Chris-Paul-Rockets-Jersey/ . Cote was eligible to become a free agent Feb. 15. Cote helped running back Jon Cornish run for a league-high 1,813 rushing yards en route to being named the leagues most outstanding player. Eric Gordon Jersey .C. -- Todd Fiddler scored a hat trick, including the overtime goal, as the Prince George Cougars survived an 8-7 win against the Kamloops Blazers in Western Hockey League play Sunday. Austin Rivers Rockets Jersey . -- Eastern Kentucky thrives off creating havoc for others.CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox have hired former major league All-Star and Gold Glove second baseman Mark Grudzielanek to manage Triple-A Charlotte.Grudzielanek spent the past two seasons working in the Arizona Diamondbacks player development system. He played 15 seasons in the majors from 1995 to 2010, was an All-Star for the Montreal Expos in 1996 and won a Gold Glove for the Kansas City Royals in 2006.Other managing assignments announced Wednesday were: Julio Vinas (Double-A Birmmingham), Willie Harris (Class A Winston-Salem), Justin Jirschele (Class A Kannapolis), Tim Esmay (Great Falls) and Ryan Newman (Arizona Rookie League).dddddddddddd Steve McCatty (Charlotte) and John Ely (Great Falls) were hired as pitching coaches.Richard Dotson will serve as the organizations pitching coordinator and Mike Gellinger as hitting coordinator. ' ' '