By Matthew T.F. Harrington

AP photo: The Houston Astros Luis Valbuena gets the warm welcome after hitting a walk off homer in the ninth to beat the Oakland A’s at Minute Maid Field on Friday

The Oakland Athletics roller coaster ninth inning Friday saw a five run go-ahead rally in the top of the inning but concluded on a dour note with Luis Valbuena’s walk-off home run for the Houston Astros. The A’s trailed 7-4 entering the final frame but sent closer Ryan Madson to the mound ahead 9-7 in the bottom half of the inning. Madson couldn’t hold on, leading to a 10-9 A’s defeat.

The A’s took a comfortable lead following a three-run fourth inning capped by a Stephen Vogt RBI triple and Marcus Semien’s 19^th homer of the year, but Houston scored a pair of runs on Carlos Correa’s 14^th long ball of the year off starter Daniel Mengden to pull within one 3-2. Houston then added another six runs in the bottom of the fifth, chasing Mengden on run-scoring singles from Correa, Valbuena and Marwin Gonzalez.

Astros starter Collin McHugh would depart the game in the seventh inning, yielding three earned runs. He would be charged with an unearned run in his final inning after Ken Giles’ wild pitch plated Jed Lowrie for a 6-4 score, advantage Houston. The Astros would get the run back in the bottom of the eight with Danny Worth’s run-scoring single off Andrew Triggs, setting up the wild ninth inning.

Billy Butler opened the inning reaching base, then Yonder Alonso extended it by working a full count off Astros closer Will Harris. He then took the 3-2 pitch over the wall for his fourth homerun of the season, pulling the A’s within one 7-6.

Marcus Semien struck out, but Jake Smolinski singled and Lowrie doubled, leading manager AJ Hinch to opt for Michael Feliz to finish off the inning. Khris Davis, batting in the two hole with Coco Crisp serving a one-game suspension, plated Lowrie and pinch runner Tyler Ladendorf on a base-clearing double for a 8-7 A’s lead. Josh Reddick would chip in a single to send Davis around for the insurance run off Feliz (6-1, 4.28 ERA). The Astros reliever was tagged with the blown save, but took the W in the comeback win.

Madson (3-3, 3.47 ERA) made quick work of the first batter he faced, shagging Gonzalez’s bunt attempt for the first out. Former batting champ Jose Altuve reached base on a single, then stole second with Correa at the plate. Madson got Correa to swing at strike three, but the shortstop reached base after the wild pitch eluded Vogt. Valbuena then launched the first pitch he saw from Madson into the right field stands for a 10-9 Astros win.

The A’s send the recently resurgent Kendall Graveman to the mound to face Liam McCullers in game three of the four game set.