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The A’s took 3-of-4 from the AL West leaders
Greinke pitches Houston past A’s 4-1
Oakland Athletics’ Marcus Semien, right, is congratulated by third base coach Matt Williams (4) after hitting a home run off Houston Astros’ Zack Greinke in the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
2019.08.18 – The Oakland Athletics found their mettle and exited their series with the Houston Astros with lots of fortitude despite dropping the finale. The A’s took 3-of-4 from the AL West leaders.
Zack Greinke reached seven smooth innings Sunday, pitching the first-place Astros past the Oakland Athletics 4-1 to avoid a four-game sweep.
Alex Bregman had a three-run homer among his four hits to back Greinke, who won his third straight start since joining Houston from the Arizona Diamondbacks at the July 31 trade deadline to make the Astros a World Series favorite.
Greinke (13-4) went nine up, nine down on 25 pitches to start the game before giving up Marcus Semien’s 21st homer — two days after Semien doubled to break up a perfect game bid by Justin Verlander.
2019.08.18 (Oakland Athletics vs. Houston Astros) See video
2019.08.18 (Oakland Athletics vs. Houston Astros) See video
“He can throw anything in any count. His range is anything from like 66 to 92 mph, which is incredible,” A’s starter Brett Anderson said. “He’s a Hall of Famer in my book.”
Anderson (10-9) exited in the sixth because of a blister on his pitching hand.
“I don’t think it’ll be a problem for his next start,” manager Bob Melvin said.
The left-hander allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings, struck out three and walked four in losing his second straight start and fourth in five.
Oakland saw its home winning streak end at six games, matching the club’s season high. One more win will clinch a winning record at the Coliseum for a third consecutive season.
Fill-in right fielder Chad Pinder threw out Jose Altuve at home plate in the first after he reached on a two-base throwing error by Anderson.
Bregman homered in the fifth, singled in the first and ninth, doubled in the fourth and drew an 11-pitch walk in the seventh from Jake Diekman.
Roberto Osuna finished for his 27th save.
AGAINST THE AL WEST
The A’s also had a five-game winning streak against division opponents snapped, their longest vs. the AL West all season.
Not that Melvin is busy scoreboard watching yet at this relatively early stage — neither the division race nor the wild-card standings.
“I think that’s a personal thing. I don’t look at either right now,” Melvin said. “We’re just trying to win as many games as we can. We know we’re quite a bit behind these guys, so every game we can win against them gets us a little bit closer. We’re still in August. It’s not until a little bit later in September ’til I start focusing on kind of where we are as far as the division and the wild card. Things flip around pretty quickly.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: Placed INF Aledmys Díaz on the injured list after he began experiencing lightheadedness and dizziness on the team bus Saturday. All tests at a hospital came back fine. The Astros were hopeful he would rejoin the club to fly home with the team. … RHP Cy Sneed was recalled to take Diaz’s spot on the 25-man roster, never leaving the Bay Area after he had been optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Saturday. … RHP Brad Peacock (right shoulder) was activated from the injured list. … While the Astros are listing TBA for their Thursday starter, they remain hopeful of Gerrit Cole making his next start after being scratched last Tuesday with discomfort in his right hamstring.
Athletics: RF Stephen Piscotty sat out a day after rolling his right ankle sliding into second base to get back safely on a pickoff attempt in the seventh. Melvin hopes Piscotty will be ready to return Tuesday after the team’s day off Monday. … Slumping slugger Khris Davis, the 2018 major league home run leader who is in an 0-for-13 funk, got a day off. Melvin wanted to get Jurickson Profar some at-bats at DH. … CF Ramon Laureano, on the injured list with a stress reaction in his right shin, is closer to running again — but not yet every day. He has done everything in his rehab but run so far. … LHP Sean Manaea was scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Las Vegas, moving another step closer to returning for the first time since shoulder surgery last September. He was set to throw upward of about 100 pitches.
UP NEXT
Astros: LHP Wade Miley (11-4, 3.11 ERA) looks to win his sixth straight decision over 11 starts since his last loss June 17 at Cincinnati as Houston returns home to host Detroit.
Athletics: After the day off, 10-game winner Homer Bailey pitches the series opener at home against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night. He won 6-1 with the Royals in New York on April 18.
RELATED: See below 2019.08.17 (Oakland Athletics vs. Houston Astros)
Read more at: Oakland Athletics Media Services / More AP MLB
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
For more on the Oakland Athletics, see the blog at www.EMIsportsCentral.com
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A’s take three in a row – Athletics beat Astros 8-4
Oakland Athletics’ Matt Olson swings for an RBI-single off Houston Astros’ Rogelio Armenteros in the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
2019.08.17 – Matt Chapman doubled among his three hits and Mark Canha had two hits and three RBIs to back Chris Bassitt’s six solid innings in the Oakland Athletics’ 8-4 victory over the Houston Astros.
Bassitt believes the Oakland Athletics’ struggles against the Houston Astros are due in part to the perception that the 2017 World Series championship are unbeatable.
He helped pierce that aura of invincibility on Saturday.
Matt Olson and Josh Phegley each had two hits for Oakland, which finished with 13 hits — just two for extra bases. The A’s have won four straight games and 11 of their last 16. They have gained four games in four days on the Astros, closing to within 6 1/2 games of the AL West leaders.
2019.08.17 (Oakland Athletics vs. Houston Astros) See video
2019.08.17 (Oakland Athletics vs. Houston Astros) See video
Oakland has won the first three of a four-game series against Houston after dropping nine of its first 11 games to the Astros.
“To me personality, it has been a problem,” Bassitt said. “Are they a great team? Yeah. Are they a top two or three team in all of baseball? Yeah. But when you give them more credit than they deserve everything snowballs on you.
“When you go on the attack and you attack them, it makes life a whole heck of a lot easier.”
Chapman offered a more measured perspective.
“I would just chalk it up to us being confident and playing really well right now,” he said.
Bassitt (9-5) gave up three runs and eight hits with two walks. In seven starts since the All-Star break he’s 4-1 with a 2.36 ERA. Bassitt threw 116 pitches, a career high for the 30-year-old who missed all of 2017 recovering from Tommy John surgery.
The A’s won for just the third time this season in game in which they didn’t homer.
“When we play like that, when we don’t hit a home run and we win, I think that’s good for our psyche,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said.
Yordan Alvarez homered twice for Houston, which has lost five straight and six of seven after winning eight in a row and 18 of 21.
The A’s scored five runs against rookie starter Rogelio Armenteros (1-1) in the third, when the first seven hitters reached base safely. Canha’s two-run single highlighted a rally that gave the A’s a 5-2 lead.
Armenteros gave up five runs and seven hits with one walk in four innings. The 25-year-old was called up from Triple-A Round Rock to make his second career start and fifth appearance with starter Gerrit Cole missing his second turn in the rotation with a right hamstring injury.
“It didn’t happen the way I wanted,” Armenteros said through a translator. “They found my holes in my execution. I have to keep focusing on all aspects of the game, pitch selection, execution and command.”
Oakland opened up an 8-3 lead in the fifth, when four straight batters reached safely to start a three-run inning.
Alvarez hit his 19th homer off reliever Ryan Buchter leading off the eighth. He homered off Bassitt in the fifth.
Michael Brantley was 2 for 4 with his fourth straight multi-hit game for Houston.
MOVES
Armenteros was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock after Saturday’s game. … Astros RHP Francis Martes was reinstated from the restricted list and placed on the minor league injured list. Martes, who had Tommy John surgery on Aug. 15 of last year, was suspended for 80 games for testing positive for a performance enhancing drugs in March.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: RHP Brad Peacock (right shoulder) is expected to be activated from the injured list on Sunday, manager A.J. Hinch said. Peacock’s return would be a welcome addition a taxed Astros bullpen. Going into Saturday four relievers (Héctor Rondón, Ryan Pressly, Will Harris and Joe Smith) had pitched in three of their previous four games. … RHP Cy Sneed was optioned to Round Rock to make room on 25-man roster for Armenteros.
Athletics: OF Stephen Piscotty injured his right ankle sliding into second base on a pickoff attempt. He left the game for a pinch-runner. Melvin said the injury isn’t believed to be serious but Piscotty will likely sit out Sunday’s game.
UP NEXT
Astros: RHP Zack Greinke (12-4, 2.91 ERA) is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two starts with Houston. He’s 6-2 with a 3.11 ERA in 16 appearances (12 starts) against Oakland.
Atheltics: LHP Brett Anderson (10-8, 3.95) is 1-4 with a 6.58 ERA in six appearances (five starts) against Houston.
RELATED: See below 2019.08.16 (Oakland Athletics vs. Houston Astros)
Read more at: Oakland Athletics Media Services / More AP MLB
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
For more on the Oakland Athletics, see the blog at www.EMIsportsCentral.com
EMI Sports Central – EMI Sports Bay Area: Join the conversation on sports news for SF Bay Area teams: Follow @EMIsports on Twitter, “Like” us on Facebook and sign up for our FREE email newsletters.
Grossman walks off ! A’s edge Astros 3-2 in 13th
Oakland Athletics’ Robbie Grossman hitting a walk off ground single in the 13th inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 16, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
2019.08.16 – Robbie Grossman delivered an RBI groundball single up the middle — his first-ever walkoff hit – in the 13th inning and the Oakland Athletics take the second game of a four-game set with the American League West-leading Houston Astros, 3-2.
The A’s have been pretty good this season when hitting home runs, and added to their total with a pair of solo shots off Houston ace Justin Verlander.
Manager Bob Melvin’s team showed it can be pretty effective playing small ball, too.
Mark Canha had three hits, including a homer, and Marcus Semien also went deep as the A’s beat the AL West leaders for the second consecutive night to move within a half-game of Tampa Bay for the league’s second wild card.
2019.08.16 (Oakland Athletics vs. Houston Astros) See video
2019.08.16 (Oakland Athletics vs. Houston Astros) See video
“We’re a pretty well-rounded team,” winning pitcher Lou Trivino said. “Obviously we tend to hit the ball a far way, and that’s a lot of fun. Lately we’ve been putting bat on ball consistently. Our offense has been phenomenal.”
Corban Joseph singled leading off the bottom of the 13th against Cy Sneed (0-1) and was sacrificed to second. Semien struck out, but Grossman grounded a 2-0 pitch up the middle to give the A’s their ninth walk-off win this season.
It was Grossman’s first career game-ending hit.
“You only need one run there,” Melvin said. “We’ll bunt when we need to when we just need one run.”
Trivino (4-5) pitched three innings of one-hit ball.
Houston lost its fourth straight and wasted the latest strong performance by Verlander. The 36-year-old right-hander had 11 strikeouts in seven innings to set a franchise record with his sixth game in a row of 10 or more. Randy Johnson and J.R. Richard also did it five straight times.
Michael Brantley had two hits for the Astros, who lead second-place Oakland by 7½ games.
“We had a couple of opportunities that I wish we could have done a little better,” Houston manager AJ Hinch said. “Good game on both sides.”
Less than 24 hours after the teams combined for a Coliseum-record 10 home runs on a hot evening, Verlander and Oakland starter Tanner Roark, along with both bullpens, kept things more controlled on a night when the temperature was 13 degrees cooler at first pitch.
Canha hit his 18th homer in the second, and Semien added his 20th on a 2-0 pitch from Verlander in the sixth.
“The Canha homer, that was a not very well-executed fastball,” Verlander said. “The Semien one I’ve just got to tip my cap, that was pretty much right where I wanted to throw it and he put a good swing on it.”
Roark took a shutout into the sixth before Houston scored twice. Carlos Correa had a sacrifice fly and Yuli Gurriel added an RBI single but was thrown out trying to advance to second.
Roark allowed six hits and two runs in six innings.
“We battled all night long facing one of the greatest,” Roark said. “Pitchers came in big-time, relievers came in clutch. It was a fun game to be a part of.”
UNHAPPY ALTUVE
Jose Altuve went 1 for 6 but the Astros second baseman was particularly unhappy with plate umpire Tripp Gibson after flying out in the 10th. Altuve believed he had drawn a walk earlier in the at-bat on a low pitch and took several steps toward first base before being called back. After flying out, Altuve turned and appeared to say something to Gibson before heading to the dugout.
NECK-TWISTERS
Verlander has allowed a career-high 31 home runs this season, tied with two others for most in the majors.
ALL BY MYSELF
A few hours before the first pitch, a lone fan walked to the top of Mount Davis and sat by himself high in the stands for several minutes before security noticed and escorted him away. An A’s spokesman said that area of the stadium is closed off to fans, although the team has opened it in the past.
ROSTER MOVES
Oakland catcher Dustin Garneau was designated for assignment. Former A’s backup catcher Beau Taylor was claimed off waivers by Toronto.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: Gerrit Cole (right hamstring) is not expected to miss his turn in the rotation and could pitch in the upcoming Detroit series. Cole threw without pain and will next throw a bullpen before a final decision is made. The right-hander was scratched before taking the mound in his previous scheduled start Tuesday at Chicago after feeling discomfort in his leg warming up. … RHP Brad Peacock (shoulder discomfort) had one strikeout and two walks in one scoreless inning while continuing his rehab assignment with Triple-A Round Rock. Peacock has been on the injured list since June 28.
Athletics: Josh Phegley (bone bruise) was reinstated from the injured list.
UP NEXT
Oakland righty Chris Bassitt (8-5, 3.56 ERA) has won three of four decisions since the All-Star break heading into Saturday afternoon’s game against Houston. Bassitt’s 2.00 ERA over that time is second in the American League. The Astros plan to call up rookie right-hander Rogelio Armenteros (1-0, 1.93) to start. Armenteros has been in the minors since July 22 because Houston had no need for a fifth starter.
RELATED: See below 2019.08.15 (Oakland Athletics vs. Houston Astros)
Read more at: Oakland Athletics Media Services / More AP MLB
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
For more on the Oakland Athletics, see the blog at www.EMIsportsCentral.com
CACHE CREEK – CASINO RESORT
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Two Homers for Chapman ! A’s past Astros 7-6
Oakland Athletics’ Matt Olson, right, celebrates with Matt Chapman (26) after hitting a three-run home run off Houston Astros’ Aaron Sanchez during the fourth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
2019.08.15 – Matt Chapman hit two home runs for the second straight day, connecting for the tiebreaking shot in the eighth inning to lead the Oakland Athletics past the Houston Astros in a 7-6 home run derby.
Bob Melvin walked in after the game and had a little fun, “Coors Field tonight, huh?” Oakland’s manager joked.
It sure felt like it the way balls were flying out.
The teams combined for a Coliseum record 10 home runs, five by each team. Four players hit two home runs: Chapman and teammate Matt Olson along with Houston’s Michael Brantley and Carlos Correa. Since 1908, it marked the fifth time in major league history four players hit at least two home runs, with Minnesota and Baltimore also doing so on April 20 this year.
2019.08.15 (Oakland Athletics vs. Houston Astros) See video
2019.08.15 (Oakland Athletics vs. Houston Astros) See video
“That was pretty cool. I’ve never seen the ball carry like that here. It was like we were playing on a normal park,” Chapman said. “That was a rarity. I’ve never seen this park play like that. Usually it’s pretty cold here and the ball doesn’t travel, but that was nice.”
The 10 homers topped the previous record of eight combined for the run-down venue also home to the NFL’s Oakland Raiders. The A’s and Astros were the last to total eight together, on Aug. 19, 2018.
With the game tied at 6, Chapman led off the eighth with a homer off Chris Devenski (2-2). Chapman recorded his fourth career two-homer game a day after hitting two against Giants. Liam Hendriks kept the Astros from clearing the fences in the ninth for his 14th save.
“They hit the most important one at the right time,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “We hit some big ones. It was a little bit of 2019 home run derby with the ball flying out of the ballpark everywhere.”
Olson hit a three-run homer and solo shot. Correa homered leading off the fifth and seventh innings for Houston, the second giving him 100 for his career. Brantley hit solo drives in the sixth and eighth innings, tying the game with the second.
Olson notched his sixth career multihomer game and second this year on an uncharacteristically hot night when each starting pitcher surrendered four home runs. Chapman hit a tiebreaking homer estimated at 453 feet leading off the sixth before Olson’s second of the night and No. 25 of the season.
Corban Joseph connected for his first major league homer in the fourth after first-pitch temperature read 82 degrees.
Alex Bregman hit a two-run homer in the top of the fourth to put Houston ahead only for Olson to answer in the bottom half. Joseph hit the first pitch from Aaron Sanchez for his first home run three batters later.
Fiers started the game with a walk to George Springer then retired the next 10 Astros batters in order before Brantley’s two-out single in the fourth for the first Houston hit then Bregman followed with his 29th homer.
Brantley homered to tie the game in the sixth before the slugging Matts did their thing for the A’s.
Fiers allowed six hits and five earned runs pitching into the seventh, matching his career high surrendering four homers. He has won nine straight decisions and is unbeaten over 18 starts since pitching his no-hitter against the Reds on May 7. The right-hander has no-decisions in each of his four starts against his former Astros club this season.
“Guys were swinging,” he said. “There were no cheap homers.”
Sanchez worked 5 1/3 innings in his third start since joining the Astros from Toronto at the trade deadline. He gave up six runs on seven hits.
Even with the loss, Houston (78-44) owns the best 122-game record in franchise history, topping the 1998 club that was 75-47.
Jake Diekman (1-6) recorded the last out of the eighth for his first victory with Oakland.
SWEET REUNION
A’s first base coach Al Pedrique was instrumental as an Astros special assistant in 2007 when he helped convince the Houston front office to sign Venezuelan countryman Jose Altuve at age 16.
All these years later, they sat in the Astros dugout before the series opener catching up and sharing some laughs and smiles.
Altuve worked out just fine, all right.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: Mark Canha, who was filling in at CF with Ramon Laureano hurt, hit his left hand on the wall Wednesday at San Francisco and missed Thursday. Melvin hoped he would be back in the lineup Friday night if the soreness had subsided. Chad Pinder started in center. … LHP Sean Manaea will pitch again Sunday for Triple-A Las Vegas as he nears closer to returning for the first time since having shoulder surgery last September. Manaea, who also experienced some soreness in his right side during a June simulated game, struck out 10 over 5 2/3 innings for the victory with Las Vegas at Omaha on Tuesday. … RHP Marco Estrada, on the 60-day injured list with a lower back strain, is set to work four innings and about 65 pitches Friday for Las Vegas in his rehab. … LHP prospect Jesus Luzardo, back after being sidelined by a strained pitching shoulder, allowed six hits and five runs — four earned — in 3 1/3 innings for Las Vegas on Thursday night.
UP NEXT
RHP Justin Verlander (15-4, 2.82 ERA) pitches for the Astros looking to win his sixth straight decision over seven starts while the A’s counter with RHP Tanner Roark (7-8, 4.06) in his third start since being acquired from Cincinnati at the trade deadline.
Read more at: Oakland Athletics Media Services / More AP MLB
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
For more on the Oakland Athletics, see the blog at www.EMIsportsCentral.com
EMI Sports Central – EMI Sports Bay Area: Join the conversation on sports news for SF Bay Area teams: Follow @EMIsports on Twitter, “Like” us on Facebook and sign up for our FREE email newsletters.