Texas earns third consecutive shutout

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 surging 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 tossed a perfect seventh for 29 scoreless innings in a row, and making it the second-longest streak. Joaquin Benoit and C.J. Wilson finished it off for 31.

Brandon Boggs, playing only his 11th major league game, recovered from an early hard crash into a wall to go 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs as Texas ended the A's four-game winning streak.

Texas has won four in a row and 10 of 14 to escape last place in the AL West since owner Tom Hicks met with president Nolan Ryan and general manager Jon Daniels two weeks ago to discuss the team's direction.

"If we pitch and catch the ball the way we are now, our offense will put enough up there for us to be successful," said manager Ron Washington.

Florida was the last major league with three consecutive shutouts, in August 2005. The last American League team to accomplish that feat was Minnesota in July 2004.

The only time Texas pitchers have had a longer scoreless streak was in April 1981, when they had a record 39 in a row during a span of four consecutive shutouts. That is also the only other time the Rangers had had more than two shutouts in a row until now.

For rookie left-hander Greg Smith (2-2), it was the third consecutive start in which the Athletics failed to score any runs behind him.

"I put the team in a hole early," said Smith, who allowed four runs and six hits over six innings. "I kind of don't pay attention to the opposing pitcher because I've got my hands full with what I have to do. But (Feldman) threw the ball well."

Feldman limited the A's to two singles, the first not coming until one out in the fifth. The right-hander walked four and struck out one before leaving after 87 pitches.

After Jack Cust's leadoff single in the sixth, the A's didn't have another baserunner until Cust and Frank Thomas had consecutive singles off Wilson to start the ninth. Emil Brown then grounded into a double play before Bobby Crosby struck out to end the game.