Photo credit: @Athletics

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s did it again as they rallied to score three runs in the top of the eighth to beat the World Champion Houston Astros 6-4 at Minute Maid Park on Thursday. With the win, Oakland took three out of four in Houston.

The A’s are continuing to show everyone that they are for real. They are playing with a lot of confidence as they have now scored 69 runs in the eighth inning. They lead all of baseball in that department. The A’s have won eight games when trailing after seven innings. That, too, leads the Major Leagues. They are 35-0 when leading after seven innings and 44-0 when leading after eight. No one else in baseball is undefeated.

“When you do it so many times, you have confidence doing it,” manager Bob Melvin said. “And it was different guys today, too. At this point, it’s a true team effort, and that’s powerful when you have 25 guys contributing.”

Trevor Cahill started for the As. Cahill was activated off the 10-day DL. He struggled. Cahill went just 3 2/3 innings and allowed three runs and three hits.

Below is the game summary:

In the third inning, the Astros roughed up Cahill for two runs. With one out, Cahill issued walks to Tony Kemp and George Springer. Both advanced a base when Cahill uncorked a wild pitch. Astros’ third baseman Alex Bregman slammed a double to left to drive in Kemp and Springer.

The Astros made it 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Cahill retired the first two hitters: Evan Gattis and Marwin Gonzalez. Former A’s player, Max Stassi, singled. Melvin had seen enough, and he brought in Chris Hatcher to pitch to Kemp. However, that strategy failed as Kemp homered.

The A’s took it in stride as they mounted their comeback in the top of the fifth. Chad Pinder and Mark Canha singled to start the rally. Astros’ starter Charlie Morton to load the bases with no out. Nick Martini doubled to drive in Pinder and Canha. Lucroy went to third. Morton retired Semien for the first out. The next hitter, Stephen Piscotty, reached on an infield single. Lucroy scored on the play. The Astros made a pitching change. Morton was out, and Collin McHugh was in. McHugh retired the next two A’s hitters. The A’s trailed 4-3.

There was no more scoring in the game until the top of the eighth. Astros’ manager A.J. Hinch brought in Chris Devenski to pitch. The A’s Khris Davis and Matt Olson singled to get things going. The other Matt, third baseman Matt Chapman, doubled to left field to drive in Davis. Olson stopped at third. Devensiki retired Chad Pinder for the first out. Mark Canha followed with a single to deep left field to drive in Olson and Chapman. The A’s were now ahead 6-4, and they needed the bullpen to finish off the Astros.

Bob Melvin selected lefty Ryan Buchter to pitch the eighth. Buchter did his job as retired the Astros in order. Melvin went to the bullpen again, and this time he brought in Lou Trivino to close out the game. Trivino, a rookie sensation, came through once again as he, too, set the Astros down to secure the 6-4 win for the A’s.

Game Notes: The A’s are now 53-41 for the season and are a season-high 12 games over .500. Melvin used five pitchers, and Yusmeiro Petit was the winning pitcher. Trivino earned his fourth save. Chris Devenski took the loss for the Astros.

Up Next: The A’s conclude the three-city, 10-game road trip with three games against the San Francisco Giants. Edwin Jackson will pitch for Oakland, and he will be opposed by San Francisco lefty Madison Bumgarner. The first game of the Battle of the Bay Series will be on Friday at 7:15 pm PDT.