Houston evens the series
Astros back up Greinke's impressive start to even series with A's
May 20, 2021, 12:03 am
Houston evens the series
Greinke tossed another impressive game Wednesday.
After watching Oakland get the walk-off win in the opener, Houston entered Wednesday's middle game needing a win to force a rubber game to decide the series and who would leave it on top of the division. The offense and Zack Greinke would get it done, with the Astros putting together a late barrage of runs to back up their starter, who tossed another gem.
Final Score: Astros 8, A's 1
Astros' Record: 25-18, second in the AL West
Winning Pitcher: Zack Greinke (4-1)
Losing Pitcher: Frankie Montas (5-3)
LET'S GO JOSE! 💣#ForTheH pic.twitter.com/WiAERNxk38
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 20, 2021
Once again, just like the night before, the Astros would get two runs in the top of the first before Oakland could get to the plate. The first run came on the very first pitch, as Jose Altuve would turn a slider around 396 feet over the left-field wall. They would get a runner in scoring position with two outs, setting up an RBI single by Carlos Correa to double the first-inning lead. Oakland responded with a run in the bottom of the second, a two-out RBI double against Zack Grienke, making it a 2-1 game.
That score stayed put all the way into the seventh inning, where the Astros would add to their lead with a two-out rally. Alex Bregman started it with a walk, then moved to second on a Yordan Alvarez single. Both would then score on a deep two-run double by Yuli Gurriel.
.@el_yuly10's 19th RBI of the month leads the @MLB! 🤘#ForTheH pic.twitter.com/7RRFf7ELKS
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 20, 2021
He would come around to score in the next at-bat, an RBI single by Carlos Correa to make it a four-run game at 5-1. Houston kept scoring against Oakland's bullpen in the next inning, as an RBI single by Michael Brantley and two-RBI double, bringing him to four on the night, made it an 8-1 Houston advantage.
While Greinke was undoubtedly grateful for the insurance, he was doing just fine without it, holding his own against the A's. His run allowed in the second would be his one and only, rebounding and finding a rhythm to finish eight frames for the second time this season. His final line: 8.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K, 89 P.
That left just one inning to cover for Houston's bullpen, a task given to Kent Emanuel. He would finish things off, moving the Astros back to a half-game behind Oakland in the division, setting up a critical rubber game on Thursday.
Up Next: Thursday's series finale will be an afternoon start, with the game getting underway at 2:37 PM Central. Luis Garcia (1-3, 3.34 ERA) for Houston will go up against Cole Irvin (3-4, 3.02 ERA) for Oakland.
Michael Wacha scattered four hits over six innings, Vinnie Pasquantino homered and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 2-0 for the second straight night Saturday to run their winning streak to six.
Wacha (1-3) once again received little run support, but the veteran right-hander made the meager production stand up on chilly evening at Kauffman Stadium. He struck out six while walking two and never allowed a runner past second base.
Steven Cruz worked the seventh for Kansas City, his seventh appearance this season without allowing a run. John Schreiber left runners on the corners in the eighth, and Carlos Estévez had a perfect ninth for his seventh save.
Bobby Witt Jr. doubled and scored in the first inning for the Royals, extending his career-best hitting streak to 18 games.
Framber Valdez (1-3) gave up a sacrifice fly to Mark Canha in the first inning and Pasquantino's shot down the right-field line in the fifth. Otherwise, the Astros left-hander kept Kansas City in check, allowing three hits and two walks over eight innings.
Valdez had tossed seven shutout innings against the Royals last August in a 3-2 victory.
The Astros, who have lost five straight at the K, have managed just nine hits while getting shut out over the first two games of the series. They had rolled into Kansas City having won three straight and five of their last six games.
Isaac Parades hit a two-out double and Jeremy Peña followed with a single to give Houston runners on the corners in the eighth inning. Schreiber bounced back to strike out Christian Walker with a four-seam fastball to end the threat.
The Royals have only scored seven runs in the 32 innings that Wacha has pitched this season.
RHP Hunter Brown (3-1, 1.16) tries to extend a 24-inning scoreless streak for Houston in the series finale Sunday. LHP Kris Bubic (2-1, 1.45) gets the start for Kansas City after tossing seven shutout innings against the Rockies his last time out.