The Oakland A’s Chad Pinder (right) gets congratulations after the conclusion of game 3 of the ALDS against the Houston Astros at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles on Wed Oct 7, 2020. (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

It was do or die for the Oakland A’s on Wednesday when they faced off against the Houston Astros. The Astros, with a win, would have ended the A’s 2020 season. The A’s found a way to stay alive as they beat the Astros 9-7 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

The A’s offense came to life against five Houston pitchers. The A’s tied a franchise record by sending five balls out of the park. Four of the blast were solo jobs. The big hit was Chad Pinder’s three-run shot in the top of the seventh. The late Baltimore Oriole manager, Earl Weaver, always said that a three run home run was his favorite play in baseball.

Oakland needed to get off to a fast start on Wednesday. The Astros started Jose Urquiddy in place of Zack Greinke. Greinke was not feeling 100% and was scratched. With one out in the first inning, A’s second baseman, Tommy La Stella, homered to give the A’s an early 1-0 lead. Houston, in their half of the first, put two on the board. Former MVP, Jose Altuve tied the score with a solo home run. Michael Brantley, playing in left, followed with a single.

He went to third thanks to Alex Bregman’s single. Shortstop Carlos Correa drove in Brantley with the Astros’ second when he hit into a fielder’s choice. The Astros lead 2-1 after one inning of play.

The A’s tied the game in the top of the second. Mark Canha led off the second with a home run to center-field. In the fourth, A’s first baseman, Matt Olson, homered to right to put the A’s up 3-2. The A’s homer parade continued when Marcus Semien hit one in the fifth to give Oakland a two-run cushion 4-2 midway through the fifth.

The Astros have a very potent offense. They know that they can put runs on the board. They showed their prowess in the bottom of the fifth when they sent ten men to the plate. They scored five runs on five hits, one hit batter, and two walks.

First baseman Yuli Guriel walked. DH Aledmys Diaz tied the game with a home run to left. Luzardo retired Martin Maldonado for the first out. A’s manager, Bob Melvin, brought in Yusmeiro Petit to pitch. Petit, who had an outstanding season, did not fare well on Wednesday. He hit George Springer with a pitch.

Singles by Altuve and Brantley put Houston in the lead 5-4. Alex Bregman doubled to drive in Brantley with Houston’s sixth run of the game. Altuve was thrown out at third on the playThe A’s gave Carlos Correa an intentional walk to put men on at first and second with two out. Lefty Jake Diekman was brought in to pitch to the left-handed hitter, Kyle Tucker. Tucker beat the strategy as he singled to right to drive in Bregman. Houston now leads 7-4 after five.

The A’s had to do two things to win. They needed the offense to wake up and score. They required the vaunted bullpen to shut down the Astros’ offense. They found their mojo and came through on both counts.

The A’s put three on the board in the seventh. Marcus Semien started the rally with a single. Tommy La Stella also singled. Semien went to third. A’s third baseman, Chad Pinder, tied the game with an opposite-field blast.

Oakland was back in the game. They plated two more runs in the eighth. Robbie Grosman walked to get things going. Ramon Laureano doubled, sending Grossman to third. Catcher Sean Murphy drove in Grossman with the tie-breaking run with a sacrifice fly to right.

The A’s loaded the bases when Semien was walked, and a pitch hit La Stella. La Stella was hit his right elbow and had to leave the game. Pinder drove in his fourth run of the game with a sacrifice fly to right to put the A’s in the driver’s seat 9-7.

The A’s brought in their closer, Liam Hendriks, to pitch three innings. Hendriks allowed just one hit and no runs in his three innings of work. He got out of a jam in the eighth when Houston put men on at first and second with no outs. He retired the next three batters to quell the uprising. The A’s win 9-7 and live to see another day.

Game Notes- The A’s are not out of the woods. They must win Thursday to stay alive. They announced Frankie Montas as their starter for Thursday’s game. The Astros have not determined their starter yet.

The line score for Oakland was nine runs, eleven hits, and one error. The A’s tied a franchise record with five home runs. The last time they had five homers in a postseason game came against the San Francisco Giants in the 1989 World Series.
Houston’s line was seven runs, ten hits, and no errors. They hit two home runs.

Game four will be played Thursday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. The game will start at 12:35 pm.