"Right off the bat, Hideki Matsui's blast to lead off the 10th inning left no doubt that it was heading out of the park.

"If you saw it or if you heard it, you knew it was going to be way back," A's infielder Andy LaRoche said. "We were all bum-rushing the field."

Matsui smoked the first pitch he got from left-hander Darren Oliver into the seats above the scoreboard in right to give Oakland a 5-4 win over Texas and a victory in the four-game series against the Rangers.

Texas remained tied for the division lead with the Angels, who lost at Boston. The A's are a game back.

"Obviously, it's nice to win it hitting a walk-off home run, but they are going to be formidable rivals going down the season," Matsui said of the Rangers through translator Roger Kahlon. "I'm happy to be able to come out with a win."

Matsui's drive, No. 496 of his career combined between the major leagues and Japan, was the first walk-off homer of the season for Oakland, and it was Matsui's first home run of the season at the Coliseum.

"Timing-wise, it might have been a little bit late to hit one at home," Matsui said.

As far as the A's were concerned, the timing was perfect. Oakland fought back from a 4-2 deficit to tie the game in the eighth on Josh Willingham's home run, and then the team endured the tension of the top of the 10th, when Grant Balfour walked the bases loaded only to end the inning by striking out pinch-hitter Yorvit Torrealba."