The Texas Rangers leveled their three-game series against the Oakland Athletics with a 6-2 victory on Wednesday at Globe Life Field, propelled by another impressive performance from Cody Bradford on the mound. The decisive rubber match between the teams is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. on Thursday, before the Rangers embark on a three-game weekend series against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.

Aledo native Bradford, a left-handed pitcher, improved his record to 3-0 with a stellar outing, limiting the Athletics to just one unearned run on five hits and a walk while striking out seven over 6.2 innings. On the other side, Oakland Athletics starter Ross Stripling, hailing from Southlake Carroll and a former standout at Texas A&M, struggled, surrendering six runs on 11 hits and three walks in six innings of work.

The Rangers capitalized on Stripling’s struggles with two three-run innings, striking early in the first and extending their lead in the fourth. Josh Smith and Jonah Heim drove in three runs in the first frame to give Texas a 3-1 advantage. In the fourth inning, Marcus Semien and Adolis Garcia contributed to the offensive onslaught, both delivering RBI doubles and singles to widen the Rangers’ lead to 6-1.

Adolis García was instrumental in the Rangers’ offensive success, going 3 for 3 with doubles and a single, reaching base in all four of his plate appearances, including a walk. He notched two RBIs and also recorded a stolen base. García’s impressive performance brings his season RBI total to 13, marking the most by a Rangers player in the team’s first 12 games of a season since Nathaniel Lowe tallied 15 RBIs in the first 12 games of the 2021 season.

Left-hander Cody Bradford is slowly becoming a local hero. The Aledo native who attended Baylor is now 3-0 after another outstanding start against the Athletics. He left the game with 2 outs in the top of the 7th inning with a 6-1 lead. He finished the game holding Oakland to one unearned run on five hits and one walk, with seven strikeouts. Bradford has consecutive quality starts after holding the Astros to one earned run in 7.2 innings on Friday for the first time in his career. The unearned run scored on a throwing error by third baseman Josh Smith in the first inning. Bradford is 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA with 17 strikeouts and two walks with an opponent batting average of .145.