![Astros owner makes shocking move by cleaning house](https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjUwMjMxNy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTc1NTk2ODc0NH0.OPhD0-lm6ziMh3M1NhFleUeAr1W6CDWXE5wh3cN6uDA/img.jpg?width=1208&height=826&quality=65&coordinates=0%2C0%2C0%2C0)
Photo by Getty Images
Monday afternoon after MLB handed out their punishments to the Astros for the sign-stealing scandal in 2017, Astros owner Jim Crane fired GM Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch.
Astros owner Jim Crane just said he will oversee baseball operations and made reference to a general manager candidate internally. That would be Pete Putila, who was elevated this offseason to assistant GM.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 13, 2020
According to MLB insider, Jeff Passan, Jim Crane will be handling baseball operations and the Astros will hire a general manager that is already in-house. Pete Putila will likely assume the role of GM according to Passan.
Astros owner Jim Crane just said he will oversee baseball operations and made reference to a general manager candidate internally. That would be Pete Putila, who was elevated this offseason to assistant GM.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 13, 2020
Hogan Harris and three relievers combined on an eight-hit shutout, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Houston Astros 4-0 on Monday night.
Harris (2-3) allowed seven hits in 6 2/3 innings and matched his career-high of seven strikeouts. The win was Harris’ first since June 18.
The game took 2 hours, 7 minute and was played in front of an announced crowd of 4,517
JJ Bleday had three hits while Lawrence Butler and Max Schuemann added two hits each to pace the A’s to their second win in eight games against the Astros.
Houston went into the day tied for first place with Seattle atop the AL West.
Oakland has the fifth-most errors (61) in the majors but turned three triple plays to match St. Louis for the most in baseball (103).
Austin Adams followed Harris and retired Alex Bregman on a swinging strikeout, ending a two-on, two-out threat in the seventh.
Lucas Erceg retired three batters, and Mason Miller pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to finish the game.
Yordan Alvarez doubled in four plate appearances after hitting for the the cycle against Seattle on Sunday. Jose Altuve and Jeremy Pena added two hits for the Astros.
The A’s got their sputtering offense going early, stringing together four consecutive one-out hits off Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti in the third.
Miguel Andujar doubled in a run with a drive down the left field line, and a second run scored when Astros left fielder Mauricio Dubón fumbled trying to retrieve the ball. Bleday followed with an RBI double to put the A’s ahead 3-0.
Schuemann singled in Zack Gelof in the fourth to make it 4-0.
Arrighetti (4-8) allowed seven hits and four runs in six innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: Former All-Star INF Aledmys Díaz was called up from the Florida Coast League and added to the roster. Díaz, who began the season with Oakland before his release on July 5, played first base and went 0-for-3. … C Victor Caratini (hip) was activated off the 10-day Injured List. INF Greg Kessinger and C César Salazar were optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land. INF David Hensley was designated for assignment.
UP NEXT
Astros’ rookie RHP Jake Bloss (0-0, 4.70 ERA) faces Oakland in his third career start Tuesday. The A’s plan to go with RHP Osvaldo Bido (1-1, 3.44), who will be making his second start of the season after a stellar stint in the bullpen.