Oakland Athletics Team Report - April 19th

(Sports Network) - The Oakland Athletics have won two of three after losing five straight. The Athletics defeated the Rangers last night by a score of 9-0 in the first game of a three-game set at the Coliseum.

Barry Zito tossed a six-hit shutout and Erubiel Durazo went 2-for-4 with a solo homer and three runs batted in as the Oakland Athletics pounded the Texas Rangers, 9-0, at the Coliseum. The win was just the second for Oakland in its last nine games.

Zito (3-1) struck out six batters and walked just one, while picking up his 50th career win. Last year's AL Cy Young Award winner retired the first 11 batters he faced en route to his fourth career shutout.

Ramon Hernandez and Terrence Long each had a solo homer and two RBI as Oakland took the first contest of a three-game set. Hernandez ended 3-for-4.

Mark Ellis is just 2-for-19 in his last six games and is batting .277.

The Athletics will send left-handed hurler Mark Mulder to the mound today. In his last outing, Monday at Seattle, Mulder allowed four runs on eight hits in seven innings. The lefthander recorded the loss in that contest.

Against the Rangers this season, Mulder is 1-0 with a high ERA of 7.20. He allowed four runs on nine hits in five innings of work on April 9. Against Texas in his career, Mulder is 6-4 with an ERA of 5.00 in 12 starts. The lefty has allowed 84 hits in 75 2/3 innings of work.

04/19 13:14:18 ET