Nomar Mazara snuck a double just past the Athletics centerfielder, scoring the final two runs in a four-run seventh.

After playing five weeks of baseball where the offense called it a night after six innings, the Rangers have come alive late in the last three games.

Four runs in the ninth on Thursday night and again on Friday night turned losses into last-inning wins.

So, Saturday night, the Rangers got started in the seventh inning instead.

Four runs in the seventh turned around a 4-2 deficit and ending up giving the Rangers their fifth win in a row, their longest winning streak of the year. Last season, their longest was seven games. Three times they winning had streaks of at least five.

With the win the Rangers catapult from last place to second place. That was the easy part. Chipping away at that huge Houston lead is a whole different thing.

Whether this is the fool’s gold of playing horrible teams like San Diego and Oakland, it doesn’t matter. The wins matter. Because, if you think about it, it works both ways. The Padres and the Athletics also had the benefit of playing one of the worst teams in baseball. And they lost.

Five wins in a row.

Desperation time has subsided. For now.

*****
TODAY’S GAME:

Kendall Graveman (2-2, 3.67) vs. A.J. Griffin (4-0, 2.45)
Game time: 2:05

How the Athletics hit against Griffin.
How the Rangers hit against Graveman.