Two right-handers who hope to remain part of the starting rotation next season will go head-to-head when the Los Angeles Angels host the Texas Rangers on Monday in the opener of a three-game series at Angel Stadium.Adrian Sampson is scheduled to make his fourth career start and third with the Rangers. Felix Pena will make his 17th start for the Angels since being converted from a reliever earlier this season.Sampson (0-2 http://www.royalsfanproshop.com/authentic-ryan-goins-jersey , 4.09 ERA) made his starting debut with the Rangers on Sept. 11 at Angel Stadium. He held Los Angeles (75-81) to one run and two hits in five innings, but eight Angels relievers combined to shut out the Rangers 1-0 after holding them without a hit for 7 1/3 innings.Article continues below ...Angels first baseman Jose Fernandez hit his first major league home run in the second inning to account for the only run.The Rangers (66-89) didn’t provide any run support in Sampson’s second start either. He allowed two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 3-0 loss to the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Monday. In the 10 2/3 innings that Sampson has been in the game as a starter, Texas has combined for one hit.Sampson told MLB.com after his last outing that he’s always been slotted as a fastball pitcher but likes the way he has been executing all of his pitches lately.“It has been good for two starts,” he said. “I am a workhorse and I can go deep in games. I can help the team. I can give them innings as a starting pitcher. I just want to show them that.”Before Texas manager Jeff Banister was fired Friday, he said the last week of the season will be important for players like Sampson.“These guys are still out here competing on a daily basis,” Banister told MLB.com after Sampson’s last start. Pena (3-5, 4.20) made his only appearance against the Rangers on Sept. 12 in Anaheim, throwing six shutout innings in the 8-1 victory. Pena has performed a lot more like that lately than he did in his last outing, when he gave up six runs and six hits in four innings of a 10-0 loss to the Oakland A’s on Wednesday.Pena told MLB.com after the loss that he planned to quickly put that appearance behind him.“Some days you’re going to feel good Wily Peralta Jersey , but you’re not going to be able to control what happens,” he said. “The only thing that I can control is to keep working hard like I’ve been doing and prepare for my next start.”Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons left a 6-2 loss at the Houston Astros on Sunday with a left knee injury but told reporters after the game that he hoped to play Monday.Angels center fielder Mike Trout rested Sunday after hitting a home run in five of the previous six games. He has 38 home runs this season, three shy of his career high set in 2015. OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Piscotty’s alert baserunning helped the Oakland Athletics inch closer to their first playoff berth in four years.Piscotty doubled leading off the ninth inning and scored the winning run on Trevor Hildenberger’s bases-loaded wild pitch with two outs. The A’s cut their magic number to clinch a spot in the postseason to one with their second straight walk-off win over the Minnesota Twins, 3-2 on Saturday night.Marcus Semien homered for Oakland, which opened a 7½-game lead over Tampa Bay for the AL’s second wild card. The A’s trail AL West-leading Houston by 3½ games and are 1½ games behind the New York Yankees, who clinched the first wild card earlier Saturday.It’s the first time the A’s have won on a wild pitch in their final at-bat since April 26, 1997.“It was a different route this time to score that run but we put pressure on them,” Semien said. “We’ve got 94 wins. Nobody expected that but now that we’re here we have to play well.”Oakland won Friday on Khris Davis‘ 10th-inning homer and took the first two games of the series against the Twins despite going hitless in 14 at-bats with runners in scoring position http://www.royalsfanproshop.com/authentic-lucas-duda-jersey , including 10 on Saturday.Seeking their first playoff appearance since losing to Kansas City in the 2014 wild-card game, the A’s moved 33 games over .500 for the first time since Sept. 24, 2003. Oakland is 60-25 since mid-June.With a chance to secure a playoff spot in the series finale Sunday, A’s manager Bob Melvin expects a loud crowd.“Should be pretty rowdy,” Melvin said. “My guess is they’ll be pretty spirited tomorrow.”After Piscotty’s hit against Hildenberger (4-5), Ramon Laureano struck out, Semien reached on a throwing error by shortstop Jorge Polanco and pinch-hitter Matt Joyce was intentionally walked.With the Twins utilizing a five-man infield, Mark Canha struck out in an 11-pitch at-bat. After Minnesota resumed a more normal defense, Hildenberger skipped a fastball past catcher Willians Astudillo Alex Gordon Jersey , and Piscotty slid home ahead of Astudillo’s throw.“We always have a really good feeling when we’re in the ninth inning and have a chance to win,” Melvin said. “When Stephen leads off with the double, I don’t think anybody in our dugout didn’t think it was going to get done.”Blake Treinen (9-2) retired three batters.Joe Mauer hit a sacrifice fly in the third off Mike Fiers, but Semien hit a two-run homer against Chase De Jong in the fifth. Astudillo had a tying single off Jeurys Familia in the sixth.Astudillo had three hits for Minnesota, which has tied the team record of 15 walk-off losses, set in 1964.“We didn’t do too much to give ourselves a chance,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “We get it tied late against a good team with a good bullpen and we couldn’t find a way to get that last zero.”FIVE OUTFIELDERSThe Twins used a unique defensive alignment during Matt Olson’s first two at-bats, something they’ve done frequently against the A’s slugger. Third baseman Ehire Adrianza moved to left field while the other three outfielders shifted over. With Minnesota’s infield also in a shift, second baseman Gregorio Petit was positioned in short right — essentially a fifth outfielder. That left the left side of the open; Olson grounded out to first each time.PUTTING IN WORKOlson made his 146th start at first base http://www.royalsfanproshop.com/authentic-george-brett-jersey , Jed Lowrie his 128th at second, Semien his 151st at shortstop and Matt Chapman his 138th at third base. It’s the first time in Oakland history that the A’s have had a player with 128 starts or more at every infield position.MOVESTwins: C Juan Graterol’s contract was selected from Triple-A Rochester. RHP Ervin Santana was transferred to the 60-day DL.TRAINER’S ROOMTwins: 3B Miguel Sano (lower left leg bruise) had an MRI that was inconclusive. Sano has played in one game since Sept. 4. … 2B Logan Forsythe (knee inflammation) was held out of the lineup.UP NEXTThe A’s plan to start RHP Trevor Cahill (6-3, 3.77) for the first time since Sept. 9 in the series finale Sunday. Cahill has been out with a back strain after making his 19th start, his most since 2013. RHP Kyle Gibson (8-13, 3.78) starts for the Twins after allowing five runs and 11 hits in his last outing.