ARLINGTON, Texas -- Oakland right-hander Kendall Graveman has the Texas Rangers figured out.

In a September start last season, Graveman carried a perfect game against Texas into the seventh inning only to eventually lose the decision.

On Saturday night, Graveman (2-0) wasn't perfect, but he was close and the end result was better. He didn't allow a hit until Mike Napoli's two-out solo homer in the bottom of the seventh as the A's breezed by the Rangers 6-1.

Graveman allowed two hits in seven innings and continued a strong start to the season in which he has allowed just three runs in 13 innings. He flirted with history before settling for a dominant performance as he struck out five, walked just one and allowed two hits.

"Of course, it (a no-hitter) is on your mind," Graveman said. "It's on your mind that it's a 0-0 game more so than anything. That's different than not giving up a hit and being 7-0.

"It's definitely a good feeling knowing that you've got good stuff that night and that you haven't allowed a hit, but then there's also a sense that, hey, you've got to continue to attack because you can't walk anyone and then the tying run's at the plate."

As good as Graveman was, the game was scoreless until the sixth as Texas right-hander Yu Darvish (0-1) was able to keep pace with Graveman. But in the sixth a leadoff walk by outfielder Matt Joyce got the inning started, and after a Ryon Healy double moved Joyce to third, Stephen Vogt scored him with a grounder to second.

That gave Graveman a little room to work with and an inning later Rajai Davis put the A's up 2-0 with a sacrifice fly off Tony Barnette. That proved to be huge because after Graveman struck out Shin-Soo Choo and Nomar Mazara to start the bottom of the seventh, Napoli's first homer of the season ended the no-hit bid and the shutout.

It didn't take away anything from Graveman's outing, though.

"You hate to say you expect him to throw a no-hitter like that, but when he takes the mound, your No. 1 guy, you like your chances," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. "He's our No. 1 guy right now. You expect to win those games. And they had a pretty tough customer over there throwing against him."

Darvish also pitched well, giving up one run and four hits in six innings. He struck out five and walked three. He also lamented a few pitches he thought were strikes that home-plate umpire Jerry Meals didn't see the same way.

"It is what it is," Darvish said. "It seems like he's not calling strikes on pitches down in the zone, but it goes both ways. He's not calling strikes on pitches down in the zone for their guys too."

Oakland took any drama out of the game with its five runs against the Texas bullpen.

The A's scored three times in the eighth as Jed Lowrie's RBI double pushed the lead to 3-1 and then Yonder Alonso smashed a two-run homer off Dario Alvarez. Marcus Semien added a run-scoring single in the ninth on a night Oakland had 10 hits, with Lowrie accounting for three of them.

Sergio Casilla and Ryan Madson preserved the two-hitter with perfect innings on a night dominated by Graveman.

"Graveman had a heck of a night, good running life on a hard fastball and nothing straight and then a cutter that was in on left-handers and away from right-handers," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. "It was electric stuff. He didn't give up until Napoli hit the ball out of the ballpark much hard hit off him. When a guy like that has a night like that with the stuff it made it very challenging for our hitters tonight."

NOTES: Texas RHP Andrew Cashner has had his rehab start Monday moved from Double-A Frisco to extended spring training in Arizona because of the chance of rain in Texas. ... Oakland 3B Trevor Plouffe was a late scratch because of an illness. The A's inserted Mark Canha into the lineup at designated hitter and Ryon Healy started at third. ... Texas OF Nomar Mazara went 0-for-3, ending his streak of multi-hit games at four.