by Jerry Feitelberg

The Houston Astros rallied to score three runs in the bottom of the 8th inning to defeat the Oakland A’s 4-2 Tuesday night in Houston. The A’s sent Jason Hammel to pitch for the Green and Gold. Hammel

has a 1-5 record and an ERA of 6.75 since coming to the A’s on July 1st. Hammel had two good outings but has not pitched well and was bombed in his last outing. The A’s allowed him to skip a start and he was well rested and he pitched extremely well for seven innings. Without question it was his best outing as he allowed just three hits and the only run allowed was a Dexter Fowler blast to right field in the fourth inning. He threw just 93 pitches and 60 were strikes. He was opposed by Astro lefty Dallas Keuchel who also pitched very well. Keuchel went seven innings allowing just five hits and two runs, one of which was unearned. The A’s were shocked when Luke Gregerson blew the save and took the loss.

The A’s took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Coco Crisp drew a walk to start the inning

Craig Gentry laid down a push bunt that Houston starter, Dallas Keuchel, couldn’t handle. Keuchel was charged with an error but it was a very difficult play and it could have been ruled a hit. Josh Donaldson and Derek Norris hit into ground outs but Jonny Gomes, who hits left-handed pitchers very well, singled to drive in Gentry with the first run of the game for the A’s.

The Astros threatened in the bottom of the third. Hammel hit Gregorio Petit with a pitch. With one out, Jose Altuve hit a double that went into the stands sending Petit to third but had it not gone into the stands Petit would have scored. Former Athletic Chris Carter, who has 31 home runs so far this year, hit a line shot to left field that Jonny Gomes made a great play robbing Carter of at least a double and saving two runners from scoring.

The A’s scored another run in the top of the fourth. With one out, Jonny Gomes singled and then scored on a double to left off the bat of Nate Freiman. Freiman took third on the throw home but the A’s could not bring him home. The A’s and Jason Hammel were hoping for a shut down inning. The Astros’ Dexter Fowler had other thoughts as he blasted a home run to lead off the Astros half of the fourth.

The score stands at 2-1 after four.

The Astros took the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. Luke Gregerson was is relief of Jason Hammel who went seven innings and allowed just one and really pitched well. With one out, Robbie Grossman reached on an error. Gregerson hit Jose Altuve with a pitch to put men on at first and second.

Chris Carter then blasted a monster home run to left field to put the Astros in the lead 4-2 at the end of eight innings. Chad Qualls pitched the ninth and shut the door on the A’s and Qualls picked up his fifteenth save of the year for the Astros.

Notes- With the loss the A’s drop ½ game behind the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels had a 7-0 lead in their game against Miami and should they win the game the A’s will be a full game behind the Angels.

Geovany Soto, acquired in a trade with the Texas Rangers, started in his first game as an A and had a hit.

The A’s conclude the three game set with Houston Wednesday then head to Los Angeles for a huge four game series with the Angels. Lefty Drew Pomeranz will go for the A’s and he will be opposed by the Astro’s Brad Peacock.