Houston Astros reliever Ryan Pressly (right) exchanges high fives after recording the last out against the Oakland A’s in the Astros 4-2 win of the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader at Minute Maid Field in Houston (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Oakland A’s took on the Houston Astros in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon. Yesterday’s game was scratched when both teams left the field in support of the fight for racial equality.

There have been at least 20 teams that had chosen not to play on Wednesday, Thursday and last night’s game between the A’s and the Astros. They join the NBA, WNBA, NHL, MLS and the NFL in this fight. With heavy hearts both teams took the field at Minute Maid Park for the first of two games.

The first inning was a good one for the Houston Astros getting on the board early when Kyle Tucker homered to right, for 366 feet, scoring Michael Brantley who had walked and Yuli Gurriel who had doubled to right giving the Astros the early lead 3-0. The A’s had a quick first inning with two strike outs, Piscotty and Grossman. Marcus Semien popped out.

Starting pitcher for the A’s was Chris Bassitt and for the Astros Lance McCullers Jr. An important series for Oakland; they were looking to extend their four and a half game lead on Houston in the standings.

The last thing they wanted to see was Houston gaining any ground on them. Giving up a 3-0 lead to start the game was the last thing that the A’s needed against a very tough team. Neither team could get a lot going through the next two innings. The A’s finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning when Robbie Grossman scored.

Grossman had doubled to right and Stephen Piscotty had singled. With runners on first and third, Chapman grounded out to right allowing Robbie Grossman to score and the A’s were on the board 3-1. The Astros answered right back with their first at bat in the bottom of the fourth inning. Josh Reddick homered to right for 413 feet extending their lead 4-1.

It was a quiet fifth inning for both teams going into the top of the sixth inning. The A’s were able to get another run up on the board by yet again Grossman. He was having a great game keeping his team in this one.

Grossman was safe at first on a throwing error by the pitcher and moved on to third on another error by the Astros. Matt Chapman singled allowing Grossman to score now trailing Houston 4-2. Through six innings the A’s had 6 hits and Houston had 8.

The A’s had one last chance in the seventh inning with only seven being played in the double header. It was a quick two outs for Oakland in the top of the seventh inning, Canha and Laureano. Kemp would ground out to first and that was the game. The Astros would now trail the A’s in the standings by three and a half games.

Both teams would have about an hour to regroup and get ready for game two. The first game had been a little over two hours. It wasn’t Bassitt’s finest hour. He had three innings in this game and obviously it was a tough first inning for him. “ He was just a little off,” said Bob Melvin of Chris’ performance. “Getting behind in the first and all of a sudden it’s 3-0. Lou came in and did a good job,” he said. The A’s would be looking for a chance to even the score in game two and reclaim their four and a half game lead in the standings.