Oakland A’s Robbie Grossman left and Matt Olson (28) share congratulations after Olson hit a two run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning at the Oakland Coliseum against the visiting Houston Astros on Thursday afternoon (AP News photo)

A’s Win Astros Series 4 games to 1 – Basically won the Division

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

OAKLAND–The Athletics will not have to face the Houston Astros anymore during this “regular” 2020 season. They won four games of the five game series at Oakland, from Monday, through Thursday.

A’s manager Bob Melvin, who said he wanted to open-up a larger lead on the second place team, got his wishes. The first place A’s left for a road-trip with a 6 1/2 game lead over the Astros, their largest lead in the division since September, 24, 2013, that 2013 the Athletics won the division with a 96-66 record, 5 1.2 games over the Texas Rangers.

With a record of 27-15 and with just 18 games left to complete the 60-game season, the Oakland Athletics have basically the AL Western Division inside their pockets.

The club embarks on their last long road trip of the season. Tomorrow open a 4 game set at Arlington, vs. Texas Rangers, then move on to Seattle for 2 games (a double header) on Monday, before they fly to Denver for 2 games in 2 days against the Colorado Rockies.

They are scheduled to return home the 18th for a three game weekend series against the San Francisco Giants, whom they swept earlier in August during a three-game weekend series at Oracle Park.

The Athletics bullpen continues to lead all bullpens in baseball this season. Their starters, during this series against the Astros, completed seven innings of work in three of the last five starts.

The Houston Astros left Oakland in a very precarious situation. Astros only lead the third place Seattle Mariners in the standing by a couple of games. Although they still have a chance to advance to the postseason, this current team who won the division in 2019 with 107 wins, is very shaky.

They need José Altuve to comeback healthy, keep Alex Bregman also in the lineup and no more injuries the rest of the way. Those are manager Dusty Baker plans. Baker recently said he expects his top starter Justin Verlander to return to action by the end of the season.

POST SEASON: Reports (not-confirmed yet), have all MLB division winners hosting at least a division series. Best of three wild-card rounds to be held at the home site of the top four teams in each league. For example the A’s would open the first round at the Oakland Coliseum. American League: As the postseason advances, Southern California locations, Angel Stadium(Anaheim), Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles and PETCO Park (San Diego). National League: Minute Maid Park (Houston) and Globe Life Field (Arlington)

Stay well and stay tune.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s Spanish radio lead play by play talent on 1010 KIQI San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com