By Matthew T.F. Harrington

Like many Hollywood Sequels, Gray-Kazmir II failed to live up to its billing. Almost two weeks ago, Oakland Athletics ace Sonny Gray bested former teammate and mentor Scott Kazmir in a 4-0 victory. Saturday night in Houston, neither hurler factored into the decision, a 10-6 win for the desperate Astros (78-71).

Houston took advantage of Cy Young hopeful Gray early for a trio of runs in the bottom of the first, but the Green and Gold used the next three innings to rough up their former teammate. Jake Smolinski blasted a homer with no one on in the bottom of the second, while A’s shortstop Marcus Semien ripped a solo shot of his on in the 4th. Mark Canha chased Kazmir, a mid-season acquisition by Houston from Oakland, with a two-strike, two-out run-scoring single to tie the game.

The Athletics (64-85) handed Gray a significant lead in the top of the 5th, plating three runs off Kazmir’s replacement Vincent Velasquez. Smolinski, Carson Blair and Craig Gentry all plated runs for Oakland in the inning. Gray did his part in the bottom half of the inning, coughing up singles to Jose Altuve and George Springer before bouncing back with a force out and a double play to escape unscathed.

Gray struggled to open the bottom of the 6th, allowing a leadoff double to Colby Rasmus and a one-out RBI single to Luis Valbuena, He left the game with a 6-4 lead after 5 1/3 innings of 8-hit, 2 strikeout ball. Reliever Drew Pomeranz retired pinch-hitter Chris Carter, usually an Athletics menace, but couldn’t retire Matt Duffy who doubled to put Houston within a run at 6-5.

An inning later Evan Gattis provided the crushing blow, launching a first-pitch offering from Fernando Rodriguez (4-2, 4.08 ERA) just over the wall in right. Gattis’ 26th homer of the season came with two men on base, handing Houston a 8-6 lead. Max Stassi would hit his first long ball of the season in the bottom of the 8th inning for a 9-6 lead. Springer’s sacrifice fly with two outs in the inning would account for the final run, also off Otero, in the 8th.

Chad Qualls (3-4, 3.91) picked up the win for Houston after pitching a scoreless 6th. Will Harris, Tony Sipp and Luke Gregerson also had scoreless appearances for the Astros, a club that now finds itself 2.5 games back of Texas for the American League West lead and 1.5 games ahead of the Angels for the final Wild Card.

Houston sends 16 game-winner Collin McHugh and his 4.05 ERA to the mound in Sunday morning’s finale. Bob Melvin’s athletics counter with Aaron Brooks, the centerpiece of the Ben Zobrist trade. The 25-year-old righty is 2-3 on the year.