
Brandon Bielak is heading to Oakland. Photo via: Wiki Commons.
The Houston Astros have traded right-handed pitcher Brandon Bielak to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for cash considerations.
RHP Brandon Bielak has been traded to the Oakland Athletics for cash considerations. Bielak was designated for assignment on Saturday, May 11th to make room for RHP Cristian Javier on the active roster.
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 16, 2024
Bielak (age 28) has a 5.71 ERA for the Astros this season over 10 games. Bielak was drafted by Houston in 2017 and made his first appearance on the major league roster in 2020. His most productive season was in 2023 when he made 13 starts for the 'Stros while posting a 3.83 ERA.
He was designated for assignment Saturday.
Nolan Arenado homered and Brendan Donovan went 4 for 4, helping Sonny Gray and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Houston Astros 8-3 on Monday night.
Arenado also doubled twice and scored two runs in the opener of a three-game series. Donovan extended his hitting streak to 10 games.
Gray (3-0) pitched seven scoreless innings. He allowed three hits, struck out four and walked one.
The Cardinals have won Gray's last eight home starts dating to last season.
Astros left-hander Framber Valdez (1-2) was tagged for seven runs — six earned — in four-plus innings. Five of the 10 hits he allowed were doubles.
Arenado hit a solo drive off Luis Contreras in the eighth. It was his second homer of the season.
The Cardinals broke it open with three runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth.
Pedro Pagés hit a two-run double to make it 3-0 in the fourth. Nolan Gorman's sacrifice fly extended the lead to 7-0 in the fifth.
Donovan scored twice and drove in a run. He is batting an NL-high .391.
Houston's Jeremy Peña hit a three-run homer off Roddery Muñoz with two outs in the ninth.
Key moment
Arenado drove in the first run in the fifth. He fouled off four straight offerings in a 10-pitch at-bat before ripping an RBI double to left.
Key stat
Gray set the tone when he retired Jose Altuve, Isaac Paredes and Yordan Alvarez in order in the first inning. The Astros’ only hit off Gray through five was catcher Yainer Diaz’s infield single in the second.
Up next
Astros right-hander Hunter Brown (1-1, 2.00 ERA) starts on Tuesday night. Right-hander Erick Fedde (1-1, 4.50 ERA) makes his fourth start for the Cardinals.