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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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.