The Oakland Athletics entered the game today hoping to pick up a win over the leading Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park in Houston. Mitch Spence started today against Framber Valdez.
Lawrence Butler got the game rolling after just a few pitches when he got on base on a throwing error by Astros first baseman Jon Singleton. Brent Rooker traded places with him on a fielder’s choice. Brent Rooker stole second base, his ninth of the season. Shea Langeliers managed a walk. But JJ Bleday struck out and Zack Gelof threw a 1-3 groundout, ending the second half of the inning.
In the second, Singleton hit a double and Jason Heyward hit a home run to right, scoring Singleton. It was Heyward’s first home run as an Astros player.
Lawrence Butler extended his hit streak to twenty games with a small dump-shot double down the left field line. Rooker flew out to right field, moving Butler to third base with two outs. However, Langeliers struck out to end the inning.
With two outs in the third inning, Yainer Diaz hit a single and Kyle Tucker hit a double, but Spence came out with a fielder’s choice to Nick Allen to end the inning.
Singleton opened the fourth with a double to right field. Jake Meyers dropped a sacrifice bunt that moved him to third base. Mauricio Dubón ended the inning with a groundout. Singleton remained standing on third base.
Spence easily made it through the Astros’ fifth inning with just six pitches.
The A’s cut the lead in half in the seventh inning on a leadoff double by Jacob Wilson and a single by Daz Cameron. By the end of the seventh inning, the Astros led 2-1.
Brent Rooker tied the game in the eighth round with his 36th Home run straight into center field.
TJ McFarland replaced Spence in the eighth inning. After getting the super-dangerous Yordan Alvarez to fly out, Yainer Diaz and Kyle Tucker both hit singles. Mark Kotsay replaced McFarland with Grant Holman. Jeremy Peña hit a flyout, but Diaz advanced to third base, now with two outs. Singleton hit a single to center, allowing Diaz to score and Tucker to advance to third base. Jake Meyers hit a double, allowing Tucker to score easily and Singleton to advance to third base. Holman intentionally walked Heyward to load the bases. Mauricio Dubón hit a single to score two more bases. Bregman ended the inning with a popout to Gelof, but not before the Astros scored four runs, bringing the score to 6-2.
Houston closer Josh Hader came in to pitch in the ninth inning. The A’s held on as Tyler Nevin hit a home run with one out to make the score 6-3. Cameron was taken out for the second out of the inning. Armando Alvarez pinch hittered for Seth Brown. Alvarez struck out and ended the game.
The A’s are in Chicago for six games, split between north and south side stadiums, starting with the White Sox tomorrow.
