By: Eric He

OAKLAND — Kendall Graveman’s year didn’t start out as planned. He lost six of his first eight starts and had an ERA well above 5.00. But in Monday night’s 7-4 win over the Astros, Graveman continued to flip the script on his 2016 season.

Graveman allowed three runs — two earned — in seven innings, throwing 112 pitches. He struck out five and walked just one as the A’s claimed the first game of a three-game set at the Coliseum. The 25-year-old righty has now won each of his last three starts, and the A’s have been victorious the last seven times he’s toed the rubber.

Manager Bob Melvin needed every one of Gravemen’s pitches, with the bullpen short on arms.

“We knew going out there we needed him to give us innings, pitches and keep the lead like we got for him early on,” Melvin said. “Significant outing for him today – it really was.”

Graveman said the key to his success was his sinker working at full force.

“Confidence in the sinker,” he said. “Confidence means that I’m locating it better. That’s been the biggest thing right now. It’s a little bit more velocity and it still has good movement. That’s been able to get me deep in ball games, early outs and get double plays when I needed to.”

A two-out rally in the fourth gave the A’s busted the game open and forced Astros starter Mike Fiers from the game. Trailing by a run, the A’s put a five spot on the board to take control. Yonder Alonso started the scoring with a two-run single up the middle.

Ryan Healy followed that up with a run-scoring double. After a walk to Coco Crisp, Fiers was replaced by Michael Feliz, who didn’t fare much better. Feliz walked the next three batters — two of which came with the bases loaded — to force in two more funs. By the time the long inning mercifully came to an end, the A’s led 6-2.

Melvin was happy to see his hitters be patient and force the opposing pitchers to throw strikes.

“When you see a guy come in and he has trouble finding the strike zone, you’re a little more patient trying to get a ball that you can handle,” he said. “Once he starts throwing multiple balls in a row, you’re going to make him throw the ball over the plate. It’s good to see we were patient.”

Khris Davis, who homered in the seventh to give the A’s a 7-3 lead, agreed.

“Just making them throw strikes is important, and not chasing,” Davis said. “When we chase, usually good things don’t happen. Those walks just turn the lineup over and get us more opportunities to get runs in.”

Up by four runs, Ryan Dull allowed a run in the eighth, but struck out Carlos Gomez to end the inning with the A’s up by three, and Ryan Madsen recorded the save in the ninth.

The Astros struck first in the second inning when Jose Valbuena led off the inning with a triple on a hit — that just missed the outstretched dive of Coco Crisp — and scored on a sacrifice fly by Colby Rasmus.

But the A’s evened the score the next inning. Alonso ripped a doubled to left center, scoring Marcus Semien all the way from first.

Alonso finished 2-for-4 on the night with 3 RBI.

“He’s swinging great,” Melvin said. “When you see him using the whole field, driving the ball to left center field, that means he’s tracking the ball really well. He’s in a really good place right now.”

Houston reclaimed the lead in the top of the fourth inning on a questionable play. With runners on first and second and two out, Carlos Gomez hit a weak ground ball to third. But third baseman Ryan Healy’s path to the ball was delayed as Carlos Correa was running to third — Healy’s throw to first bounced off the glove of Alonso and rolled away, allowing Correa to keep going and score to put the Astros on top 2-1.

It was one of the few blemishes on the night, as the A’s bats showed up and Graveman held down the fort on the mound. In his second season with the A’s, Graveman feels like he has improved steadily this year.

“I feel like I’ve gotten stronger as the season’s gone on,” he said. “I’ve hit the weight room. I’ve kept my legs under me. That’s been a positive. Last year, I don’t know if I could say that.”

His quality stretch is also drawing admiration from teammates, who don’t have to stand out there on the field for long when he’s on the mound.

“He’s looking great,” Davis said. “It’s fun to play defense behind him when he’s throwing strikes. I’m enjoying it out there.”