A's aim to begin new streak in series opener vs. Rangers

One of baseball's hottest teams takes aim at the defending champions when the Oakland Athletics open a four-game series against the visiting Texas Rangers on Monday night. Surprisingly, the A's and Rangers are separated by just two games almost one quarter into the season as both chase the Seattle Mariners in the American League West. The teams met earlier in the season in Texas, with the A's making their first statement of the year by taking two of three. The A's reached .500 for the first time this season via a 20-4 shellacking of the visiting Miami Marlins on Saturday.