With a loss to start this series to give them back-to-back losses, the Astros sought to turn the tide and get back in the win column and even up the series in Oakland on Saturday. After remaining scoreless much of the game, the A's would score the game's final two runs to win it.

Final Score: A's 2, Astros 1

Astros' Record: 91-64, first in the AL West

Winning Pitcher: Andrew Chafin (2-3)

Losing Pitcher: Ryan Pressly (5-3)

Pitcher's duel in Oakland

Neither offense could crack the opposing starter for most of Saturday's middle game of the series. The teams had just one hit each through the first five innings, a leadoff double by Jose Altuve off of Sean Manaea to start the game in the first, and a one-out single by Elvis Andrus off of Framber Valdez in the bottom of the third. Valdez would issue a few walks along the way and allowed another hit in the sixth but would keep things under control as the game remained scoreless.

Teams trade runs in the seventh

Kyle Tucker would provide Valdez with a run of support in the top of the seventh, getting a solo homer to score the first run of the day and putting Houston in front 1-0 against Manaea. Houston's starter came back out for the seventh, but after a one-out single and two-out hit-by-pitch, he would get lifted as Dusty Baker would bring in Kendall Graveman to try and protect the one-run lead. A bloop single to Graveman's first batter would tie the game and charge a run to Valdez to blemish his final line: 6.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 K, 95 P.

Astros get walked off to drop third straight

After Houston's offense went down 1-2-3 in the top of the eighth, Graveman returned to the mound in the bottom half. He had an up-and-down inning, loading the bases on a leadoff walk, one-out single, followed by a walk, but escaped with a strikeout and groundout to end the inning and keep the game tied 1-1.

In what feels like a common occurrence of late, Ryan Pressly was on the mound in the bottom of the ninth, looking to force extra innings. He wouldn't get it done this time, allowing a leadoff single, which would score on a walk-off double to hand the Astros their third straight loss and allow Oakland to lock up the series victory.

Up Next: The finale of this three-game set in Oakland, and Houston's last road game of the 2021 regular season, will start at 3:07 PM Central on Sunday. Paul Blackburn (1-3, 5.17 ERA) is set to start for Oakland, while Jake Odorizzi (6-7, 4.22 ERA) will make his return from the IL.