Walk-Off Winners - 2-1

Vladimir Guerrero's single in the bottom of the 12th secured the a series win over the A's and the Rangers' 20th win. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

The best team in the league in winning a game on the final at-bat did it again Thursday afternoon.

The Texas Rangers (20-15) have a penchant for the dramatic as they won their eighth walk-off game of the season, tops in the American League. This time, Vladimir Guerrero played the hero as he delivered a knock to deep-left center with two on in the 12th inning. Michael Young scored from second, giving Texas the 2-1 win over the Oakland Athletics (18-17), and the mobbing began at home plate.

This all came after a weird afternoon of baseball in which two balks were called on Texas starter C.J. Wilson and one Ranger was ejected. Rangers' catcher Matt Treanor was tossed in the seventh inning due to what home plate umpire Bob Davidson referred to as "excessive arguing". Treanor never turned around in the altercation, but the argument appeared heated, especially in the moments before he was ejected.

"I said something about the balk initially and it developed into something more personal after that," Treanor said. "He was grilling me basically and it comes down to I was telling him I'm not disrespecting you the way you're disrespecting me, I guess in so many words. I didn't feel like I deserved to be tossed."

Wilson, who lowered his ERA on the day to 1.48 but fell to second in the league in that category nonetheless, pitched a gem despite the balks. The Rangers' makeshift ace allowed only one run on four hits and struck out five batters in seven innings. Wilson didn't seem overly concerned about the umpiring of "Balking Bob," as Manager Ron Washington referred to him, as he was that Texas got the win.

"It's a really weird situation," Wilson said. "We won the game and that's really the most important thing."

Wilson got the no-decision for the game after he left in the seventh inning with the A's and Rangers tied 1-1. But Texas did have their chances late as they had runners on second and third and no outs in the bottom of the 7th, and runners on the corners with no one out in the ninth. Both innings Texas was unable to get a run on the board after two situations where the shortstop threw to home-plate on ground balls up the middle. Luckily for Texas, after going hitless in his first five AB's, Guerrero came through with a 12th-inning liner in the gap, and the Rangers are able to shrug off the fact that they stranded 13 runners on base for the game.

Texas travels to Toronto to take on the Blue Jays Friday night, with a 6:05 p.m. start time.

Rich Harden (2-1, 3.53 ERA) is scheduled to go against Brett Cecil (2-2, 3.12).

News and Notes:

• In his first start against a Rangers' team that offered him a two-year contract before he failed a physical two off-season's ago, Ben Sheets may have pitched his best game of the season. Sheets went six innings, tying a season-high with eight strikeouts, and allowing a season-low in runs with only one earned. His ERA on the season is 5.70, but he's pitched well in his last two starts - lowering his ERA nearly a-point-and-a-half from 7.12.
• Outfielder Nelson Cruz was activated from the 15-day D.L. Friday, while first baseman Ryan Garko was placed on waivers to make room on the roster. Cruz still holds a share of the team-lead in home runs with seven.
• With the series win, Texas is now two games ahead of the A's for first place in the American League West. The Rangers finished their seven-game home-stand with a 6-1 record. Texas is 13-7 at the Ballpark in Arlington this season.

(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)