Right-hander Kevin Millwood on Tuesday illustrated exactly what a horse does in a 5-4 win over Oakland that evened the Rangers' record at 10-10. Namely, a horse plows through innings. He pulls his team along as if it were a yoke. And just when you think he's done for the day, he works a little bit more.

Millwood didn't have dominating stuff Tuesday. He had to shake off a bloody torn fingernail midway through the start. And he had to throw more pitches (121) than he's thrown in the last six years in order to get the win.

"Every good team has a horse that they rely on," third baseman Michael Young said. "Performances like tonight are exactly the kinds of things they do. Those kinds of guys are so much fun to play behind because you know they are going to do everything in their power to keep you in the game. They have a rough inning, they don't get their feelings hurt and then they come back out and get after it even harder. That's why the description fits. That's what he does."

In every start this season, Millwood seems to have provided another illustration of what a "horse" does. He's thrown at least 110 pitches in five consecutive starts, which is something he'd never done before. He's pitched at least seven innings in all five starts, something only Millwood and Roy Halladay have done this season. And his pitch total Tuesday was his highest since July 31, 2002. It's only the second time in the Ron Washington era that a Rangers starter has been allowed to go more than 120 pitches.

"I put in the work this winter and I did a lot of stuff to get ready for this," Millwood said. "I think I finally figured out this winter what I had to do physically. Mentally, I've been strong, but the older you get the more, you have to deal with. I worked hard at it. It's good to see the work pay off."

A'S AT RANGERS, PPD.: After a one-hour rain delay Wednesday, the game was postponed and rescheduled as part of a doubleheader on May 29 when the A's make their second trip to Texas.