A'S DEFEAT ASTROS
Astros come up short again losing to the A's, 5-4
Sep 11, 2024, 10:30 pm
The Athletic's lead the series 2-0. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.
Kyle McCann hit a two-run homer, Brent Rooker had two hits and two RBIs and the Oakland Athletics beat the Houston Astros 5-4 on Wednesday night.
The Astros have lost three straight games and their lead in the AL West has narrowed to four games over Seattle with 17 to play.
Houston also lost All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve, who exited after the fifth inning with right side discomfort. He called manager Joe Espada and the trainer out after a swing on strike two of his at bat in the fifth. He completed the at bat, striking out on a bunt attempt, but did not take the field in the sixth.
McCann hit a two-run homer off Hunter Brown (11-8), and Rooker hit an RBI single off Caleb Ferguson as the A’s plated three to take a 5-3 lead in the sixth. Rooker also had an RBI single as part of two-run third that tied the game at 2-2.
The Astros took a 2-0 lead in the second on a sacrifice fly by Jake Meyers and an RBI single by Mauricio Dubón. Yordan Alvarez scored on a Max Schuemann error in the third to give the Astros a 3-2 lead.
Kyle Tucker hit an RBI single in the eighth to cut the deficit to one, but Tyler Ferguson got Ben Gamel to fly out to end the inning.
Oakland's Joey Estes (7-7) surrendered three runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. Mason Miller pitched the ninth for his 24th save.
Lawrence Butler extended his hitting streak to 19 games with a single in the fifth.
Brown yielded five runs on nine hits with seven strikeouts in five innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: RHP Ross Stripling was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to Monday with a lower back strain. LHP Kyle Muller was selected from Triple-A Las Vegas to take Stripling’s place on the roster. LHP Jack O’Loughlin was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.
Astros: OF Chas McCormick was out of the lineup Wednesday with right wrist discomfort after exiting Tuesday’s game.
UP NEXT
Astros LHP Framber Valdez (14-6, 2.97 ERA) starts opposite Athletics RHP Mitch Spence (7-9, 4.42 ERA) in the series finale Thursday.
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Christian Walker homered in a three-run second, Ryan Gusto pitched well into the sixth and the Houston Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Wednesday night to sweep the three-game series.
CHRISTIAN SKYWALKER. #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/EZxbda3HT3
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 24, 2025
Walker led off the second with a home run to left off Bowden Francis (2-3), Yainer Diaz tripled and scored on Zach Dezenzo's RBI single and Yordan Alvarez capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly.
Gusto (3-1) allowed one run on three hits with six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. Gusto has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his three starts this season.
Bryan King pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings, and Bryan Abreu threw a scoreless eighth.
George Springer walked, and Ernie Clement doubled with one out in the ninth, but Josh Hader struck out Alejandro Kirk and induced a flyout by Myles Straw for his seventh save.
Houston has won five of its last six.
Springer hit an RBI double in the fourth for the Blue Jays. They have lost five straight games.
Francis surrendered three runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. He has allowed three runs or fewer in four of his five starts.
Key moment
Hader striking out Kirk and getting Straw to flyout to center to end it.
Key stat
The Astros swept the Blue Jays for the first time since they swept a four-game series in Houston on May 14-17, 2015.
Final Thoughts
Julia Morales caught up with Walker after the game.
#Astros beat the Blue Jays 3-1
Christian Walker 2-4, HR & spoke with @JuliaMorales after the @astros WIN#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/MyRYdVwidH
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) April 24, 2025
Up next
Houston starts a three-game series Friday at Kansas City, with RHP Hayden Wesneski (1-1, 3.91 ERA) starting the opener. Toronto RHP José Berríos (1-1, 5.02) starts Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at the Yankees.
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