OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Facing the Texas Rangers back home has done wonders for the Oakland Athletics.
Mark Mulder pitched seven strong innings and slumping Miguel Tejada hit a two-run homer as the Athletics pounded out 15 hits en route to a 12-2 rout of the Rangers.
Oakland came into this three-game series with seven losses in eight games following a 7-1 start. But facing one of the American League's worst pitching staffs, the A's have collected 21 runs and 27 hits in the first two games.
The A's' pitching staff also has rebounded as Mulder (2-1) bounced back from his first loss of the season. After Barry Zito limited Texas to six hits in the series opener, Mulder allowed just two runs and five hits.
Oakland roughed up Texas starter Ismael Valdes (2-2) for six runs - four earned - and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. The A's scored in every inning but the first as Ron Gant was the only starter who failed to reach base.
"I guess we just like Oakland better," A's manager Ken Macha said. "We played four great games in Seattle, we got smoked in Anaheim. We're still finding ourselves. Mulder has improved every game out there."
Mired in a 4-for-36 slump, Tejada put the game out of reach with his third homer of the season, a blast to left field that made it 6-1 with two outs in the fourth.
"It's still not happening for me out there," said Tejada, whose .182 batting average is the lowest among Oakland regulars. "I take extra batting practice every day and I keep swinging away, hoping to find what I'm missing. Even with the homer, I was 1-for-5. I wasn't happy out there."
Mulder worked out of trouble in the opening two innings. With the game still scoreless in the second, he got Michael Young to hit into an inning-ending double play with runers at first and second.
Mulder allowed solo homers to Rafael Palmeiro in the fourth and Carl Everett in the sixth but otherwise had little trouble against a Rangers' team that was hitting .241 against lefthanded pitching.
Mulder appeared to get stronger after getting hit on the left forearm by a line drive off the bat of Einar Diaz in the third. He retired the next four batters, striking out two, and gave up just two hits thereafter.
"I'm sore in the arm now," Mulder said. "When I bend the forearm, it hurts. The only pitch I couldn't throw was the change because I had to bend the forearm. When you get this many runs, it's easier to pitch. I think I'm getting better out there. I'm happy with my progress."
"Maybe we should hit him before every game," Macha joked. "Mulder has improved every game out there. His pitches are sharper. We took him out to be cautious."
Chad Bradford and Keith Foulke each worked a hitless inning for Oakland, which has won 10 of its last 12 home games with Texas.
Things began to go wrong for the Rangers in the second, when Ramon Hernandez was hit by a pitch and Terrence Long reached on Valdes' error, putting runners at the corners. Following a forceout by Gant, Long scored on Chris Singleton's single and Gant came home on Palmeiro's error at first.
Oakland loaded the bases with two out in the third and took a 4-0 cushion when Long's single plated Eric Chavez and Erubiel Durazo.
Valdes appeared to escape trouble in the fourth after getting Mark Ellis to hit into a double play. He was one strike away from getting through the frame without any more damage before Tejada homered.
Everett was the target of Oakland fans, who pelted him with beer bottles and a cell phone.
"I'm going to be pressing charges," Everett said. "It came in between a pitch. This is always happening, maybe now they'll do something. The fans pointed him out. Lots of them know what was happening. The cause - ignorance and alcohol. We're all going to be heckled, but it's wrong to throw stuff."
