
The Astros beat the A's, 11-1. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.
Jose Altuve's 40th four-hit game included a pair of home runs and the Houston Astros rolled to an 11-1 win on Tuesday night that dealt the Athletics their 12th loss in 13 games.
Altuve singled on the first inning, homered leading off a three-run third and hit a two-run drive in the fourth, getting his 13th career multihomer game with his eighth home run this season. He singled the sixth ahead of Christian Walker’s homer.
Altuve, who matched his career high for hits, was pinch hit for in the eighth.
Jeremy Pena’s two-run home run capped a four-run second inning.
The A's have been outscored 100-41 during their skid, which they ended with a 5-4 win over Philadelphia on Sunday.
Hunter Brown (7-3) allowed one run and six hits in six innings, including Lawrence Butler's leadoff homer in the fourth.
JP Sears (4-5) gave up nine runs and 10 hits, both career highs, in 3 1/3 innings. He has allowed seven homers, 15 runs and 17 hits over 8 1/3 innings in his last two starts, raising his ERA to 5.18.
Before the game the A's made four roster moves, putting 22-year-old first baseman Nick Kurtz on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Sunday. They A's acquired left-hander Sean Newcomb from Boston for cash.
Key moment
When left fielder Tyler Soderstrom couldn't come up with a diving catch on a liner from Chas McCormick with two outs in the second, Yainer Diaz scored from first. Mauricio Dubón followed with an RBI double and Peña homered.
Key stat
Denzel Clarke and Drew Avens got their first major league hits for the A's.
Up next
A's RHP Luis Severino (1-4, 4.11 ERA) and Astros RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (0-1, 6.57 ERA) start Wednesday.
Luis Robert Jr. homered, Shane Smith pitched six effective innings and the Chicago White Sox beat the Houston Astros 4-2 on Tuesday night.
Edgar Quero had two RBIs as last-place Chicago won for the fourth time in five games.
Robert hit a run-scoring double in the second and his sixth homer in the fourth, a solo drive to left-center off Lance McCullers Jr. (1-2). He also made a sliding catch on Jake Meyers' liner to center in the eighth, stranding runners on the corners.
Smith (3-3) allowed one run and seven hits in his second straight win.
Grant Taylor, one of Chicago's top prospects, worked a 1-2-3 seventh in his major league debut. He hit 101.5 mph on his first pitch, a ball to Victor Caratini.
Brandon Eisert handled the ninth for his second save.
Isaac Paredes and Yainer Diaz each hit a sacrifice fly for Houston in the opener of a six-game homestand. McCullers permitted four runs and four hits in five innings.
Chicago scored two runs in the third to open a 3-0 lead. With two out and the bases loaded, Quero hit a two-run single to left.
Key moment
Meyers and Caratini hit back-to-back singles in the fourth, but Shane Smith got Cam Smith to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Key stat
Smith has won back-to-back starts for the first time in his career. The 25-year-old right-hander went into the game leading all MLB rookies with a 2.45 ERA.
Up next
Sean Burke (3-6, 4.03 ERA) is expected to pitch Wednesday for the White Sox against Ryan Gusto (3-3, 4.78 ERA) in the second of a three-game series.