Oakland Athletics’ Tony Kemp celebrates after hitting a home run against the Houston Astros during the fifth inning at Minute Maid Field in Houston on Tue Sep 12, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

My, oh my. Wow!!! The Oakland A’s beat the Houston Astros for the second straight night. The score this time was 6-2. The A’s starter, JP Sears, pitched well for the third straight game. Sears gave the A’s a quality start as he went six innings, allowing two runs and five hits.

The A’s bullpen held the Astros scoreless in the game’s last three innings. The A’s offense hit two home runs, one by Langeliers and one by Tony Kemp. Zack Gelof and Seth Brown had two doubles in the game. The A’s are now 12-9 in their last 21 games. Oakland is now playing a different brand of baseball these days. The A’s will be going for the sweep on Wednesday.

Here’s how the A’s beat future Hall of Fame pitcher Justin Verlander. Verlander entered the game with a lifetime record of 22 wins and seven losses against the A’s. His career ERA against Oakland is 2.27. In 2012 and 2013, Verlander beat the A’s in the playoffs to end Oakland’s season. 

The A’s had Verlander’s number Tuesday night. The A’s put three runs on the board in the top of the first. With one out, Zack Gelof doubled. Ryan Noda singled to drive in Gelof with the game’s first run. Verlander struck out Seth Brown for the second out.

All Verlander had to do to get out of the jam was to find a way to retire Shea Langeliers. Langeliers, who homered Monday night, sent his 19th dinger of the year into the stratosphere. There was no doubt about it when the ball left Shea’s bat. The ball hit the back row of the seats in the stadium. The A’s led 3-0.

Houston put a run on the board in their half of the first. Houston’s all-world second baseman, Jose Altuve, reached on an infield single. Sears retired Jeremy Pena for the first out. DH Yordan Alvarez laid down a bunt that stayed fair and sent to Altuve to second.

Sears walked Alex Bregman to load the bases. Sears now had to pitch the Kyle Tucker. Tucker loves to hit against the A’s pitching. Tucker had a three-homer game against the A’s earlier this year. Sears got Tucker to ground out. Altuve scored on the play. Sears struck out Jose Abreu to end the inning. The A’s lead 3-1 after one inning.

In the top of the third, Zack Gelof led off with his second double of the game. Seth Brown doubled to drive in Gelof with the A’s fourth run.

Tony Kemp led off the fifth with a solo home run to make it a 5-1 game midway through the inning. The Astros plated a run in their half of the inning. Mauricio Dubon and Martin Maldonado singled to put men on first and third with no out.

Sears made the fielding play of the night when he caught Jose Altuve’s popup and then threw to first to nail Maldonado to complete the double play. Jeremy Pena singled to drive in Dubon to make it a 5-2 game. The Astros didn’t know it then, but Houston would not score again.

The A’s added an insurance run in the eighth. Lefty Parker Mushinski was now pitching for the Astros. Mushinski hit the leadoff hitter, Ryan Noda, with a pitch. Seth Brown doubled for the second time to drive in Noda with Oakland’s sixth run. There was no more scoring as the A’s won.

Game Notes: With the win, the A’s are now 46-99 for the year. Houston falls to 82-64. Houston’s home record for the year is now 37-37, hardly a home-field advantage. It’s reminiscent of Houston’s failure to win at home in the 2019 World Series. The Washington Nationals won all four games at Minute Maid Park to become World Series Champs. 

The Line score for Oakland was six runs, ten hits, and no errors. JP Sears was the winning pitcher, improving his record to 5-11.

Houston’s line was two runs, six hits, and no errors. Justin Verlander was the losing pitcher, and he is 5-3 with Houston since coming to the team from the New York Mets. The Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 Tuesday and now trail the Astros by one game in the race for the AL West crown.

The final game of the three-game series will start at 4:10 p.m. on Wednesday. Paul Blackburn (4-4, 3.88 ERA) will go for Oakland. Hunter Brown (10-11, 4.47 ERA) will be on the hill for Houston.