Photo credit: @Athletics

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s stymied by Wade Miley’s slants for eight-plus innings. Miley was masterful all evening long. He retired the first 16 A’s hitters he faced. The A’s ace Mike Fiers had a rough second inning, but settled down and kept the Astros from scoring. Neither starter had a decision. The A’s grabbed the lead for the first time in the top of the ninth. The Astros tied the game at three. The A’s scored a run in the 11th, and Yusmeiro Petit retired the Astros to secure the win for Oakland 4-3.

The Astros put two on the board in the second inning. Houston’s left fielder Michel Brantley singled to start the rally. He went to second on a ground out. Yuli Guriel, playing third base for Houston, hit a line shot to center. Ramon Laureano decided to go for a shoestring catch. The only problem with that decision was this: If you don’t catch the ball and it gets by you, it will be an inside-the-park home run. Fiers may have been a bit rattled, but he settled down and retired the Astros with no further damage. Houston leads 2-0 after two.

The A’s broke up the perfect game with one out in the sixth when Chad Pinder singled. The A’s could do nothing against Mylie until the top of the ninth. In the meantime, Fiers kept his former team off-balance until Bob Melvin removed him from the game with two outs. Melvin brought in lefty Ryan Buchhaler to face Michael Brantley. Brantley struck out to end the threat.

With one out in the ninth, the top of the A’s order came through. Marcus Semien started the rally with a walk. He went to second on Matt Chapman’s single. Astros manager A.J. Hinch brought in his closer Roberto Osuna to pitch. The Astros do not have a lefty in the bullpen, and that cost them the lead. How so? Olson blasted his 21st homer of the year to plate three runs and put the A’s ahead. The Astros did not quit. They came back to tie the score in their half of the ninth. Joakim Soria was trying to close out the game for Oakland. With one out singles by Guriel and Josh Reddick, men were on at first and third. Guriel scored on an Aledmys Diaz’ sacrifice fly to right. The game went to extra innings.

The A’s broke through in the 11th. Collin McHugh was now pitching for Houston. McHugh is known for his sweeping curveballs, and he retired the first hitter he faced. Matt Olson singled, and Mark Canha walked. Ramon Laureano, who was the AL Player of the Week and a former Astro prospect, doubled down the left-field line. Olson scored. Canha also crossed the plate, and the A’s appeared to have a 5-3 lead. The ball got stuck under the wall in left-field, and the Astros claimed that the ball was dead and Canha should be sent back to third base. After an umpires’ review, the call was reversed, and Canha went back to third.  The A’s Yusmeiro Petit, working his second inning of relief retired the Astros in order to secure the win for Oakland.

Game Notes- It was the first win in Houston for the A’s this season. They are now 2-8 against the division leaders.

Fiers’ line was 7 2/3 inning of work, and he allowed six hits and two runs. Miley went eight-plus innings, and he allowed four hits and two runs.

Petit was the winning pitcher, and McHugh took the loss.

Time of game was three hours and 14 minutes.  39,204 went home unhappy as their hometown team lost 4-3.

Up Next: The A’s finish the three-game series Wednesday at 11:00 am PT. Chris Bassitt (7-4) will go for Oakland, and the A’s will be facing the very tough Justin Verlander (12-4).