A'S DEFEAT ASTROS
Houston Astros bats go quiet in 4-0 loss to Athletics
Jul 22, 2024, 11:12 pm
A's defeat the Astros, 4-0. Composite Getty Image.
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.
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Miami (6-7) at Houston (8-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS
BetMGM Odds: Texans by 3.
Against the spread: Dolphins 5-8; Texans 5-6-2.
Series record: Texans lead 8-3.
Last meeting: Dolphins beat Texans 30-15, on Nov. 27, 2022, in Miami.
Last week: Dolphins beat Jets 32-26 in OT; Texans were off, beat Jaguars 23-20 on Dec. 1.
Dolphins offense: overall (19), rush (24), pass (14), scoring (23).
Dolphins defense: overall (9), rush (7), pass (11), scoring (T14).
Texans offense: overall (18), rush (16), pass (17), scoring (11).
Texans defense: overall (5), rush (10), pass (7), scoring (T12).
Turnover differential: Dolphins minus-2; Texans plus-10.
Dolphins player to watch
QB Tua Tagovailoa, who has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL at throwing with anticipation and accuracy since he returned from a concussion in Week 8. Tagovailoa leads the NFL with a 73.8% completion rate and threw for 300 yards for the third straight game last week vs. the Jets. Tagovailoa is the first player in NFL history to have at least 40 pass attempts, multiple touchdown passes and no interceptions in three consecutive games within a single season.
Texans player to watch
QB C.J. Stroud has thrown for at least 225 yards in each of his six home games this season and is 11-4 in 15 starts in Houston, including the playoffs. He has thrown for 3,117 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season.
Key matchup
Houston RB Joe Mixon vs. Miami’s run defense. Mixon ran for 101 yards in Houston’s previous game for his seventh 100-yard game this season. He ranks third in the NFL by averaging 88.7 yards rushing a game. This week he’ll face a run defense that ranks seventh in the NFL by holding teams to 105.6 yards a game.
Key injuries
Miami LT Terron Armstead is dealing with a knee injury that limited him to just five snaps last week. He did not practice Wednesday… LBs Bradley Chubb (knee) and Cameron Goode (knee) could make their season debut, depending on how this week of practice goes, coach Mike McDaniel said. … WRs Tyreek Hill (wrist) and Jaylen Waddle (hamstring), RB Raheem Mostert (hip), and LB Anthony Walker Jr. (hamstring) were among those limited in practice Wednesday. … Houston S Jalen Pitre is expected to miss a second straight game with a shoulder injury. … DE Denico Autry was limited in practice Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Series notes
Houston won the first seven meetings in this series. … Miami didn’t get its first win against the Texans until a 44-26 victory in 2015. … The Dolphins have won the past two meetings. … These teams first met in the season opener in 2003 when Houston got a 21-20 win on a late field goal.
Stats and stuff
Three of Miami’s final four games of the season are on the road. … K Jason Sanders needs 13 points Sunday to reach 800. He also needs one field goal to reach 177, which would give him the second-most field goals made in franchise history. … TE Jonnu Smith needs 100 yards receiving to reach 792 and set a franchise record for most yards receiving by a tight end in a single season. Smith had three catches for 44 yards, including the game-winning TD vs. the Jets last week after having no receptions during regulation. … Tagovailoa needs a completion rate of 70% or better on Sunday to reach eight consecutive games completing at least 70% of his passes. That would tie him with Joe Montana (1989) and Drew Brees (2017-18) for the longest streak in NFL history. … The Dolphins gave up a season-high 402 yards to the Jets last week. Aaron Rodgers burned Miami’s pass defense for 319 yards, and Miami’s secondary allowed a combined 223 yards by Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams. … Houston can clinch the AFC South title for the second straight year with a win and a loss by Indianapolis Sunday. … The Texans rank second in the NFL with 84 tackles for loss. … Their 42 sacks also rank second. … WR Nico Collins had eight receptions for 119 yards for his fourth 100-yard game this season in Houston’s previous game. He has had at least 75 yards receiving and a TD reception in each of his four home games this season. … TE Dalton Schultz had five receptions for 61 yards and a score in Week 13. He has had at least five catches in two of his past three games. … LB Azeez Al-Shaai will serve the first game of a three-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head of QB Trevor Lawrence Sunday. … DE Danielle Hunter is one of two players in the NFL this season with at least 15 tackles for loss (15) and 10 sacks (10 1/2). It’s his sixth career season with at least 10 sacks. He has eight tackles for loss and five sacks combined in his past three games. … DE Will Anderson has had a sack in his past two home games. … LB Henry To’oTo’o has had at least five tackles in four straight games. … CB Derek Stingley had his third interception of the season in his previous game. … CB Kamari Lassiter had a career-high eight tackles, including a tackle for loss in Week 13. … S Jimmie Ward has had an interception in his past two home games. He also had an interception in his previous game against Miami in 2022 while with San Francisco.
Fantasy tip
Collins has 456 yards receiving and four touchdown receptions in four home games this season.