Oakland A’s base runner Seth Brown (right) sets up at second base after hitting a double, the Houston Astros second baseman Mauricio Dubon is to the left in the bottom of the first inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Thu Jul 20, 2023 (AP News photo)

Houston (54-43) 000 002 001. – 3. 5. 0

Oakland (27-72). 100 000 000. – 1. 6. 0

Time: 2:12

Attendance: 4,757

Friday, July 20, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–Ryan Noda played a prominent part in the first two games of the A’s 2-1 series victory of the Red Sox earlier this week. He got the only hit in Monday’s game. His ejection for arguing a called third strike in that game resulted in the ejection of Mark Kotsay.

That, of course, wasn’t crucial in Oakland’s crushing 7-0 defeat, but it was emblematic. His second inning solo homer was enough to defeat the Bosox in the A’s eventual 3-0 victory on Tuesday. He was listed to start on Wednesday but a bad hop in fielding practice hit him on the jaw and he was removed from the line up.

Today he finds himself on the 10 day injured list, although 10 days sounds like an optimistic forecast for his recovery. Jonah Bride was recalled from Las Vegas to replace him, and Seth Brown started at first base in this evening’s game against the high flying, but second place Houston Astros.

Brown went two for four and showed some nifty footwork at the initial sack, but that didn’t keep the Athletics from dropping a 3-1 thriller.

The Athletics’ starting pitcher, Hogan Harris toed the rubber with the unprepossessing record of 2-3, 6.51 but had pitched well in his one appearance against the Astros. He held them scoreless on one hit in his first major league start, which occurred in Minute Maid Park on May 27.

He was outstanding for the first 5-2/3 innings of this evening’s assignment, tonight, allowing Houston only one hit, a second inning single by Chas McCormick. But then Mauricio Dubón and Jeremy Peña sent back to back singles to right, and Kyle Tucker brought them home with a double to left center.

That was Harris’s last frame on the mound. He threw six full innings and yielded two runs, both earned, on four hits, while striking out six. 58 of his 74 offerings went for strikes. He took the tough loss and now is 2-4, although he lowered his ERA to 6.11.

The ‘stros countered with another rookie, the right hander JP France (4-3, 3.71 at game time). This was his first appearance against the Athletics, and a fine one it was. The youngster went 7+ innings and gave up only one run , earned, on six hits and a walk. He also threw a wild pitch and struck out five. His pitch count was 93, with 64 of them counting as strikes. France earned the win His slate for the year now reads (5-3, 3.13)

Brown gave the home team an early lead when he doubled off the left field wall with two out and Tony Kemp, who had walked to open the A’s half of the first and advanced to second on JJ Bleday’s one hop grounder to first, came home.

For a moment in the home fourth it looked like the A’s would double their lead, but Jake Meyers robbed Jordán Díaz of a homer with a leaping grab of his drive that almost cleared the right center field fence, 375 feet from home.

The A’s held on to that lead until Harris’s meltdown in the sixth. He didn’t come out for the seventh,; Freddiy Tarnok relieved him and pitched a scoreless inning, stranding McCormick , who had walked, stolen second, and advanced a base on Corey Julks line out to deep center, at third.

The spirits of the scattering of A’s fans in the stands were raised by rookie Zach Gelof’s two out double in the seventh. But Jace Peterson grounded out to dash those hopes.

Oakland gained a victory of sorts in the top of the eighth when home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt ruled that Tarnok had hit Dubón with a pitch and the video review supported the Athletics’ challenge and turning the HBP into a foul ball.

Bryan Abreu relieved France after Cody Thomas led off the bottom of the eighth with a single to right. He got to second on Aledmys Díaz’s sacrifice, but there he stayed.

Alex Bregman put the game on ice for Houston in the top of the ninth with his 14th home run of the season, a towering 100.6 mph blast, 397 feet to left center with the bases empty. It came on a full count 94.7 mph four seamer.

Astros pitcher Ryan Pressly preserved the 3-1 lead to earn his 22nd save of 2023.

The Tigers beat Kansas City this afternoon, so the Royals now are 28-70 in the race to the bottom. Oakland’s defeat left them at 27-72, .273.

The 1899 Cleveland Spiders, who finished their season at 20-134, .130 were shut out, 4-0, by the Senators in Washington on July 20th. That put their record at 14-67, .173.

The New York Mets of 1962,who ended their inaugural season at 40-120, .250, fell 3-1 to Cincinnati at Crosley Field. Future Giants manager Roger Craig took the loss, which left the Mets at 24-67, .265.

Thursday’s contest at the Coliseum was the first of a four game series. Friday, evening the teams will return to do battle at 6:40pm PT. The ‘stos plan to send southpaw Framber Valdéz (7-6, 2.76) against the A’s, who will counter with another lefty, JP Sears (1-6, 3.99).