Joey Gallo's 3-run homer powers Texas Rangers past Oakland A's

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Joey Gallo hit a three-run homer and drove in five as the Texas Rangers earned their first series win of the year with an 8-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday.

The five RBIs were a career high for Gallo, who had four in a 2014 game against the Cleveland Indians.

Gallo gave Texas a 3-0 lead in the second inning when he hit his homer deep to right off Oakland starter Sean Manaea (0-1). He capped a three-run sixth inning when he lined a two-run single to right off Frankie Montas.

That was more than enough for a Texas staff that used five pitchers to tame the A's, who stranded 11 baserunners. Lefty Martin Perez (1-1) allowed six hits in 5 1/3 scoreless innings while striking out six and walking three.

Manaea set a career high with 10 strikeouts, and he allowed just three hits in his 5 1/3 innings. However, he also struggled to find the strike zone, walking, hitting two and throwing a wild pitch. He struck out six consecutive Rangers at one point.

Gallo's RBI single marked the first hit on an 0-2 count in his big-league career after being 0-for-42 in those situations. Texas loaded the bases in the sixth on a walk, a hit batter and an error. Robinson Chirinos then worked a walk off Montas to put the Rangers up 4-0 and bring up Gallo for his two-run single.

The A's had their chances against Perez but left two runners on in the third and fourth innings and then left the bases loaded in the fifth. The A's chased Perez in the sixth, but lefty Jose Leclerc got the final two outs of that frame with runners on second and third.

Oakland's lone run scored in the eighth on a Matt Bush wild pitch.

Chirinos gave the Rangers some more breathing room with a two-run homer in the eighth as he finished with three RBIs.

Ryan Rua also had two hits for Texas. Khris Davis and Josh Phegley each had two hits for Oakland.

NOTES: Oakland will start RHP Jesse Hahn against Kansas City on Thursday and move RHP Raul Alcantara to the bullpen. ... The win for Texas LHP Martin Perez was the first for a Texas starter this season. The Rangers came into Sunday as one of three teams in the majors without a rotation win. ... Perez is 7-0 in his past eight day starts at Globe Life Park.