ASTROS WIN THE FINALE
Houston Astros surge past Athletics, avoid series sweep
Jul 24, 2024, 5:42 pm
ASTROS WIN THE FINALE
Hunter Brown had eight strikeouts in six innings to remain one of the hottest pitchers in baseball, helping the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 8-1 on Wednesday.
Chas McCormick homered for the first time in more than a month and Jose Altuve had three hits and two RBIs as the Astros bounced back to win the last game of the series after losing the first two in likely their final regular-season trip to the Coliseum.
The game was played before 14,978 fans, the third-largest crowd at the Coliseum this season.
Seth Brown had three hits for the A’s. Oakland had won five of six.
Hunter Brown (9-6) pitched around traffic in every inning he worked but limited the damage while winning for the eighth time in his last nine starts. The right-hander struck out the side twice and allowed eight hits with one walk.
During his strong stretch, Brown has lowered his ERA from 6.18 to 4.00.
Bryan Abreu, Taylor Scott and Bryan King retired three batters each to finish the game.
Lawrence Butler and Miguel Andujar got Oakland going early with back-to-back doubles in the first inning. Andujar was later thrown out by Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña trying to score on a grounder.
Houston tied it in the second after Jon Singleton reached on a two-base fielding error by Seth Brown at first base, then scored on Alutve’s single to left field. Altuve tried to stretch the hit into a double but was thrown out by Andujar.
Peña added an RBI single that deflected off Oakland pitcher JP Sears’ foot and bounced into left field in the sixth.
Altuve and Alex Bregman each doubled in a run as part of a four-run seventh.
Smoked down the line. 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/tLM7LxTLi9
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 24, 2024
Sears (7-8), unbeaten in his three previous starts this month, allowed eight runs (seven earned) and nine hits in six innings.
The A’s put two on with two outs in the seventh before Astros center fielder Jake Meyers made a tumbling catch on Brent Rooker’s short flyball to end the inning.
UP NEXT
Astros: Had not announced a scheduled starting pitcher for Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Minute Maid Park.
Athletics: The team plans to activate RHP Ross Stripling (1-9, 5.82 ERA) off the injured list to start Thursday’s series opener against the Angels. Stripling has been on a rehab assignment recovering from a strained right elbow.
Kyle Tucker launched a three-run homer and matched a season high with four hits against the team that traded him in December, and the Chicago Cubs routed Houston 12-3 on Saturday night to stop the Astros' five-game winning streak.
Tucker also scored four times to pace a Cubs lineup that pounded out 15 hits, including three by Dansby Swanson. Seiya Suzuki, Michael Busch and Nico Hoerner also went deep.
Chicago hit three homers in an inning for the second time this season during a seven-run fourth. Busch and Hoerner had back-to-back solo shots to put the Cubs on top 3-2, and Tucker’s drive made it 7-2.
The offensive outburst came in support of Colin Rea (5-3), who allowed two runs and five hits over five innings. The only blemish on his line was rookie Cam Smith’s two-run homer in the third, which briefly gave the Astros a 2-1 lead.
Smith, part of the package Houston received for Tucker, finished with two hits and has homered in consecutive games for the first time in his career.
Lance McCullers Jr. (1-3) came off the injured list and allowed eight runs on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings.
Isaac Paredes, also part of the Astros' trade return for Tucker, hit his 17th home run.
Tucker’s three-run homer in the fourth that put the Cubs ahead 7-2.
McCullers has a 10.89 ERA in five home starts this season, but hasn’t allowed an earned run in three road starts.
Houston LHP Framber Valdez (8-4, 2.88 ERA) opposes RHP Jameson Taillon (7-5, 4.77 ERA) when the series concludes Sunday.