WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Joc Pederson homered, doubled and drove in three runs, Jacob deGrom struck out six in five scoreless innings, and the Texas Rangers beat the Athletics 9-6 on Sunday to sweep the three-game series.
DeGrom (10-6) allowed two hits and walked one to help the Rangers win their fifth straight game.
DeGrom, the Rangers’ only All-Star pick this season, had been 0-4 in his last five starts — all Texas losses — since his previous win July 22 in his first start after the break. That included a stretch when Texas skipped one of his starts because of shoulder fatigue.
Josh Smith walked to leadoff the game, Wyatt Langford struck out and Pederson hit a 3-2 pitch from J.T. Ginn (2-6) down the line and over the wall in right field to make it 2-0.
Josh Jung homered off Ginn to lead off the second and doubled to drive in Adolis García in the ninth.
Smith hit an RBI double and scored when Pederson doubled with two out in the fifth to give the Rangers a 5-0 lead.
Langford drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home Ezequiel Duran before Helman singled to drive in Smith and make it 7-0
Pederson's first-inning homer.
The Athletics, who have been swept nine times this season, were swept at home for the first time since May 19-22 by the Los Angeles Angels. The Rangers swept a road series for the first time this season.
Luis Morales (2-0, 1.19 ERA) was set to pitch for the Athletics on Monday in St. Louis against Sonny Gray (12-7, 4.19). Patrick Corbin (7-9, 4.33 ERA) was scheduled to take the mound for Texas on Monday night at Arizona against Ryne Nelson (7-3, 3.53).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Texas Rangers' Joc Pederson (4) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
Texas Rangers' Josh Jung, right, hugs Alejandro Osuna, left, after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
Texas Rangers' Joc Pederson runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sam Bennett had a goal and two assists, and the Florida Panthers rebounded from a lopsided loss at Carolina with a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Saturday night.
A.J. Greer, Uvis Balinskis, Anton Lundell and Carter Verhaeghe also scored for two-time defending champion Florida, which lost 9-1 to the Hurricanes before traveling to Washington for the second game of a back-to-back. Jacob Chychrun scored twice to give the Capitals a 2-1 lead in the second, but Florida went back ahead before the period was over.
Washington is 6-10-3 in its last 19 games, and now the Capitals head west for a six-game trip.
Sergei Bobrovsky, who allowed all nine goals against Carolina, had the night off in favor of Daniil Tarasov in net. The Capitals had a goal overturned on an offside review in the first period, and then Florida quickly opened the scoring when Bennett tried to stuff the puck past goalie Logan Thompson and Greer put in the rebound.
Chychrun scored twice in the second, once from the left circle and once from just inside the blue line. Bennett tied it at 2, and after a penalty to Alex Ovechkin for putting the puck over the glass, Balinskis' shot from just beyond the right circle found its way through.
Lundell and Verhaeghe had empty-netters in the third.
The Capitals were still without the injured Tom Wilson and Pierre-Luc Dubois. Florida was without Brad Marchand, and Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk have yet to play this season.
Panthers: Host San Jose on Monday night.
Capitals: At Colorado on Monday night.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Washington Capitals left wing Anthony Beauvillier (72) shoots against Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola (77) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer (10) falls over Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
Florida Panthers goaltender Daniil Tarasov blocks the shot of Washington Capitals center Dylan Strome (17) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) shoots the puck past Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson for a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
Florida Panthers defenseman Uvis Balinskis (26) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
