By Matthew Harrington

Once again the Oakland Athletics kept pace with the American League West Leaders, the Los Angeles Angels, coming from behind Wednesday night to top the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. The A’s clung to a one-game divisional deficit and notched their league-leading 12^th win when trailing after seven innings.

The A’s rallied from down 3-2 in the ninth inning, scoring three runs off Astros closer Chad Qualls to make Dan Otero (8-1, 2.21 ERA) the winning pitcher. Eric Sogard tied the game on a run-scoring single before Sam Fuld ripped a two-run home run to break a 3-3 tie and provide the A’s (78-54) their game-winning hit. 

In his return to the major league roster, Drew Pomeranz pitched adequately for Oakland. The lefty allowed one unearned run over 5 1/3 innings on three hits. He struck out seven Astros but departed with the no decision after being recalled from Triple-A Sacramento for first basemen Nate Freiman earlier in the afternoon. Freiman was sent to Class A Beloit to stay close to the parent club as he waits out the handful of days until his expected return to the major league roster when rosters expand September 1^st.

Houston starter Brad Peacock matched Pomeranz, throwing 5 1/3 innings of one-man baseball with six punchouts but neither starter factored into the final decision. Chad Qualls (1-4, 3.55) was hitched with the loss and blown save after surrendering the run-scoring hits to Sogard and Fuld in the ninth. Interim A’s closer Eric O’Flaherty picked up his first save since taking the mantle for an injured Sean Doolittle. The lefty allowed a solo shot to Chris Carter in his inning of work but finished up the ninth inning to seal the game up 5-4.

The A’s scored first on a Jonny Gomes sacrifice fly, but Houston (56-78) leveled the advantages after Jose Altace scored on a wild pitch in the home half of the inning. Coco Crisp hit a solo homer in the seventh inning to put Oakland on top 2-1 but the Astros scored twice in the bottom of the seventh on Robbie Grossman and Altuve RBI singles off Fernando Abad and Otero respectively.

With the win Wednesday ,  the A’s enter a pivotal four-game set against the Los Angeles Angels one game behind their Southern California foes. Sonny Gray takes the ball Thursday night at Angel Stadium looking to down C. J. Wilson and the Halos for the AL West lead.