Tag: Houston Astros

Houston Astros Aledmys Diaz gets a warm welcome from his teammates in the dugout after hitting a bottom of the seventh homerun against the Oakland A’s at Minute Maid Field in Houston on Thu Sep 15, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s met the Houston Astros Thursday night in Houston to start a four-game series. The A’s, buoyed by their dramatic 8-7 win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, they hoped the magic would carry over to Thursday’s game. There were a couple of bright spots for the A’s, but the end result was a 5-2 loss. 

The A’s starter, James Kaprielian, pitched one of his better games. Kap gave the A’s a quality start. He went six innings and allowed five hits and two runs. He walked four, struck out four, and threw 105 pitches. The other bright spot was A’s catcher Sean Murphy.

Murphy had a double and triple in four trips to the plate. The A’s offense produced just three hits. Dermis Garcia had the other hit, which was a single. Garcia drove in both of Oakland’s runs.

Houston had Lance McCullers, Jr. on the mound to face the A’s. McCullers beat the A’s earlier in the season. McCullers hardly ever throws a fastball. He baffles hitters with an assortment of curves, sliders, changeups, and an occasional heater. McCullers went six innings and allowed two runs and two hits. He walked four and struck out 11. 

The Astros got on the board first in the bottom of the third. Kaprielian walked Chas McCormick to start the inning. Kaprielian retired Jeremy Pena and Aledmys Diaz. The next hitter, the very dangerous Yordan Alvarez, doubled to drive in McCormick with Houston’s first run. 

In the top of the fourth, the A’s rallied to put two runs on the board. Sean Murphy got things going with a double. Seth Brown walked to put men on at first and second with no out. Ramon Laureano hit into a fielder’s choice. Brown was out at second, and Murphy advanced to third.

McCullers walked Stephen Vogt to load the bases. Dermis Garcia, who homered in both games against the Rangers, smoked a single to left to drive in Murphy and Laureano. The A’s led 2-1 midway through the fourth.

The advantage didn’t last long as Houston plated their second run of the night in their half of the inning. With two out, back-to-back doubles by Trey Mancini and Christian Vasquez tied the game. Vasquez broke an 0-for-23 slump. 

The game remained tied until the bottom of the seventh. A’s manager Mark Kotsay brought in Joel Payamps to pitch. With one out, Jeremy Pena singled. The next hitter Aledmys Diaz homered to make it a 4-2 game. Kotsay summoned lefty Sam Moll from the bullpen to face Yordan Alvarez. Alvarez greeted Moll with a single. Moll then hit Alex Bregman with a pitch to move Alvarez into scoring position. Moll’s task was to find a way to retire the left-handed hitting Kyle Tucker. Moll lost the battle as Tucker singled to drive in Alvarez with Houston’s fifth run. 

The Houston bullpen, the best in the American League, kept the A’s from scoring in the game’s last three innings. The only hit the A’s had was Sean Murphy’s triple in the eighth. Houston won the game 5-2.

Game Notes: The A’s are now 52-92. Houston improved to 94-50. The Astros have the best record in the American League. If they can finish with the best record in the league, they will have the home-field advantage for the playoffs. 

The line for Oakland was two runs, three hits, and no errors. Houston’s line was five runs, nine hits, and no errors. 

The A’s face the Astros again on Friday night. The A’s will send Adrian Martinez (4-4, 5.59) to the hill to face the potent Houston offense. Houston will counter with Justin Verlander. Verlander, who is 39 years old, is a candidate for the AL Cy Young award. Verland is 16-3 and has a 1.84 ERA. Verlander will be making his first start since coming off the 10-day IL. 

The game will start at 5:05 pm.

The time of the game was 3:16. More than 26,000 people were at Minute Maid Park to watch the Astros win their fifth straight game.

Oakland A’s hitter Tony Kemp takes a cut at Houston Astros pitching all for not as the Astros swept the A’s on Sun Aug 14, 2022 at Minute Maid Field in Houston (@Athletics photo)

Houston Sweeps Oakland 6-3

By Barbara Mason

Sunday afternoon the Oakland A’s (41-74) took on the Houston Astros (75-41) in game three of their series. Oakland made it competitive in the first game of the series losing 7-5. In Game Two the Astros took control of this series and it continued on into the third game.

The A’s lost Game Two 8-0 and it did not get much better in Game Three on Sunday with a 6-3 loss. Nick Allen hit a homer in the eighth inning to at least get on the scoreboard.

The first inning was a replay of yesterday’s first inning. Alex Bregman homered and with Yordan Alvarez on base the Astros took a quick 2-0 lead. Jose Altuve hit a double in the second inning that drove in Christian Vasquez and Chas McCormick and the hits kept on coming for Houston now leading 4-0.

The Astros would continue to hit and continue to score in the sixth and seventh innings. Vasquez singled driving in Kyle Tucker in the sixth, and Bregman doubled in the seventh driving in Jeremy Pena extending the Houston lead to 6-0.

Oakland finally got on the scoreboard in the eighth inning when Nick Allen hit his second home run of the season a solo shot.

The A’s made some noise in the ninth inning. Bride grounded out and Elvis Andrus scored from third. There were some good at bats for the A’s but it was too little too late. We have seen this far too often. If Oakland wants to give themselves a chance to win games, they cannot was until the ninth inning to start hitting.

Right now the Astros are a runaway train and the A’s couldn’t even slow them down let along stop them. The depth of the Houston roster is a large part of their success. Their pitching has been outstanding and they really do look like the best team in the American League.

Cole Irvin went 6 innings allowing eight hits and five runs with a single strikeout.

The A’s will remain in Texas to take on the Texas Rangers on Monday for a four game series. James Kaprielian will be on the mound for the A’s 3-6 with a 4.38 ERA. Glenn Otto will be throwing for the Rangers 4-8 with a 5.20 ERA. First pitch will be at 5:05 PM PT.

Oakland A’s second baseman Nick Allen turns a double play retiring the sliding Chas McCormick at second base in the bottom of the sixth inning at Minute Maid Field in Houston on Sat Aug 13, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Charlie the A’s took their seventh straight loss Saturday night in Houston 8-0. The last time the A’s have won a game was back on Thu Aug 4 in Anaheim when they gave up seven home runs a record and still beat the Angels 8-7.

#2 A’s starter Zach Logue pitched 5.1 innings, eight hits and six runs it’s pretty tough on Louge as A’s manager Mark Kotsay said Louge missed some locations as the Astros were just tough outs all game long.

#3 The Astros spread their runs out in duces scoring twice in the first, fourth, sixth and seventh innings. The Astros Alex Bergman didn’t waste anytime hitting hit 15th home run of the season in the bottom of the first inning help the Astros grab a 2-0 lead.

#4 Charlie, how surprised were you after some 305 days without pitching the last time in game 4 of the ALDS against the Chicago White Sox last season, Astros starter Lance McCullers threw a gem against the Oakland A’s going six innings, two hits, four walks, and five strikeouts.

#5 Charlie, you mentioned the fanbase getting turned off and after Frankie Montas was shipped off to New York and the team has fallen off in the middle of a seven game losing streak and just got wiped out on Saturday night in Houston 8-0. The A’s when they return to Oakland next Friday could find them having attendance around 3,000 or less.

#5 A’s and Astros close out this three game set the A’s need to win today to avoid getting swept. The A’s will be starting Cole Irvin (6-9, 2.92) he’ll be opposed by the Astros Cristian Javier (6-8. 3.18) first pitch 11:10 AM PDT.

Join Charlie O for the Oakland A’s podcasts every other Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Houston Astros starter Lance McCullers was in a groove all game long against the Oakland A’s here he is dealing in the top of the first inning at Minute Maid Field in Houston Fri Aug 13, 2022 (AP News photo)

Astros Pound Athletics 8-0

By Barbara Mason

The Oakland A’s (41-73) had some great success against the Houston Astros (74-41) in July but that came to a screeching halt Saturday in game two of their series. Friday night Oakland had opportunities in game one but fell short 7-5. In today’s game the Astros took command from the first inning and they did not look back with some great offense and great pitching in a 8-0 shutout win. It was the A’s seventh consecutive loss.

It was a combination of hitting, a brilliant pitching performance by Lance McCullers Jr. and some great defense by Houston that shut the A’s out. McCullers finished with six shutout innings in his season debut his first appearance since the four game of the ALDS against the Chicago White Sox in October of 2021.

In the first inning Alex Bregman homered with Yordan Alvarez on base and Houston had a 2-0 lead to start the game.

The Astros struck again in the fourth inning when Chas McCormick tripled driving in Trey Mancini and Jeremy Pena and Houston was off to the races 4-0.

Houston hit a couple of doubles in the sixth inning extending their lead 6-0. The Astros had their second triple of the game in the seventh inning, a blistering shot to deep right by Kyle Tucker driving in Yuli Gurriel and Yordan Alvarez.

It a tough loss for the A’s; their seventh in a row. They only had five hits in the game and not a single Oakland player made it to third base in the game, in fact, only two runners got to second. They hit into three double plays and it was Houston all day long.

A’s pitcher Zach Logue went 5.1 innings and pitched over 100 pitches. He allowed eight hits and six runs. It was a tough loss for the 26 year old but it a great learning experience for him. More often than not things get worse before they get better for these up and coming youngsters.

Tomorrow the A’s will try and avoid the sweep sending Cole Irvin to the mound. He is pitching well with a 2.92 ERA and is 6-9. The A’s will face Houston’s Cristian Javier. He has a 6-8 win loss record and a 3.14 ERA. First pitch is scheduled for 11:10 AM PT.

The Oakland A’s Jonah Bride (right) is congratulated at the plate by teammate Nick Allen (left) after Skye Bolt hit a two RBI double in the top of the seventh inning at Minute Field on Fri Aug 12, 2022 (AP News photo)

Astros Top the Athletics 7-5

By Barbara Mason

Friday evening the Oakland A’s (41-72) took on the Houston Astros (73-41) at Minute Maid Park. After getting swept in their last two series, Oakland needed to get back on track. They have had some great success against the Astros in their last two series. In mid-July Oakland won the first of their two latest series and in their next series in late July the A’s swept the Astros.

The Astros have the best record in the American League so these wins at the hands of the Oakland A’s is curious indeed. Oakland has beaten the best yet got swept by the Los Angeles Angels. Call it what you want but this seems to be the 2022 curse of the Coliseum. Oakland has just been just awful at home this season and these two latest series were played at home.

After a quiet first inning the A’s were the first team up on the scoreboard. Jonah Bride hit a double that drove Vimael Machin home for the early 1-0 lead. The A’s got a second run in the third inning to extend their lead to 2-0 when Tony Kemp scored on a balk.

The Astros scored their first run of the game in the fifth inning. Yuli Gurriel singled driving in Jose Altuve. Adam Olle started to struggle and was replaced by Sam Moll. Oller had gone 4 2/3 innings. With two outs Moll had a tough situation loading the bases.

Disaster struck when Kyle Tucker hit a grand slam and Houston took a 5-2 lead .Houston had scored five runs with two outs in the inning. Austin Pruit came in to try and get the A’s out of the inning. Pruitt finally got out of the fifth inning but not before Jeremy Pena doubled driving in Aledmys Diaz giving the Astros a 6-2 lead.

In the seventh inning Oakland really got going. Pinch hitter Skye Bolt doubled driving Bride and Machin home. There would be a second pitching change for Houston trying to get out of this inning. Ramon Laureano singled driving in Bolt and Oakland trailed by a single run 6-5. Laureano would attempt to steal second and was thrown out. It was a great half inning for Oakland.

The Astros got an insurance run in the eighth inning. Pena would steal second and score when Mauricio Dubon sacrificed. With the score 7-5, going into the ninth inning, Oakland would have their last chance in this game.

For the A’s it would be a three up three down ninth inning and that was the ball game 7-5. Oakland was competitive in this game but it was that fifth inning that was the turning point. The A’s had 11 hits in the game.

The A’s will be looking to tie up this series tomorrow evening. Zach Logue will take the mound for the A’s with a 3-5 win loss record and an ERA of 4.79. Lance McCullers Jr will get the nod for the Astros with a 3.16 ERA. First pitch will be at 4:10 PM PT.

Oakland A’s starter Cole Irvin delivering here against the Los Angeles Angels on Mon Aug 8, 2022 at the Oakland Coliseum will be starting on this current road trip for the A’s (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s are in Houston to start a three-game series with the Astros this weekend. The A’s have lost five in a row and will not have an easy task facing the AL West leader. The Astros are tied with the New York Yankees for the best record in the American League.

Each team has won 71 and lost 41. The A’s record is the opposite, with 41 wins and 71 losses. The A’s are on pace to lose 103 games. The A’s and Astros have met 12 times this season. Surprisingly, the A’s and the Astros have each won six games. The A’s swept the Astros in Oakland the last time the teams met.

The Astros made a couple of deals at the trading deadline to strengthen an already potent lineup. They made a deal with the Baltimore Orioles for Trey Mancini. Mancini is hitting .267 with 13 homers and 48 RBIs.

The Astros needed help in their catching department. They acquired Christian Vasquez from the Boston Red Sox. Vasquez is hitting. 278 with eight homers and 42 RBIs. Mancini can fill in at first base in place of Yuli Guriel when needed. Mancini can play in the outfield and be used in the DH slot.

The Astros have a solid infield with perennial All-Star Jose Altuve at second base. Rookie Jeremy Pena has been solid at shortstop, and Alex Bregman handles the hot corner. The Astro outfield is patrolled by Chas McCormick in left,

Jake Meters in center, and Kyle Tucker in right. Tucker loves to hit against the A’s pitching. Oakland pitchers will have to find a way to limit the damage that Tucker can provide. Astros’ big bopper, Yordan Alvarez, is another dangerous hitter. Alvarez is hitting a robust .295. The big (six-foot, five inches tall slugger) has blasted 31 dingers and knocked in 74.

The A’s will send Adam Oller (1-5, 7.63 ERA) to the mound Friday night. The Astros will counter with Luis Garcia (8-8, 3.93 ERA). The A’s have not announced their starter for Saturday’s game. Lance McCullers, Jr. will make his first start of the year for Houston.

McCullers is coming off the 60-day IL. Lefty Cole Irvin (6-9, 2.92 ERA) has been pitching well for Oakland. In his last start against the Angels, Irvin went eight innings and allowed one run and five hits. He lost the game 1-0 as the A’s offense failed to give him any run support. Christian Javier (6-8, 3.14 ERA) goes for Houston.

The A’s made a couple of roster moves on Wednesday. The A’s brought up outfielder CAl Stevenson from the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators. The A’s designated Jed Lowrie for assignment. Lowrie was in his third stint as an Athletic.

Oakland has seven days to either trade or release him. Lowrie believes he still has some gas left in his tank and hopes he can continue his career with another team.

The A’s, as mentioned above, have lost five straight and eight of the last nine. Oakland is 9-10 since the All-Star break, including the three-game sweep of the Astros. They are 15-16 in their last 31. The A’s offense went to sleep in the last five games.

They are hoping to get back on track against the Astros this weekend. The A’s have 50 games left to play. They will be looking at the performances of young players such as Nick Allen, Jonah Bride, Vimael Machin, Cal Stevenson, and Skye Bolt.

Their veterans Stephen Vogt, Elvis Andrus, Stephen Piscotty, Chad Pinder, and Tony Kemp may see limited playing time in the last 50 games.

It’s been a tough season for the A’s fans. The team is definitely in transition. The last 50 games will be a showcase for the young players.

Some of the veterans will not be back next year. Let’s hope the A’s can play well and hope they can bounce back in 2023. Taking two out of three from Houston would be a step in the right direction.

Oakland A’s hitter Stephen Piscotty takes Houston Astros pitcher Cristian Javier deep in the bottom of the second inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Wed Jul 27, 2022 (Bay Area News Group photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND–On a day when the Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry and his lovely wife Ayesha threw out the first pitch, the Oakland A’s completed a three-game sweep of the AL West first-place Houston Astros.

The 9,367 made the loudest noise in the ninth inning as A’s reliever A.J.Puk retired the Astros 1-2-3 to win the game 4-2. A’s starter Cole Irvin continued to pitch well. Irvin went seven innings and allowed four hits and two runs. His one mistake was a gopher ball to Houston’s DH Yordan Alvarez. Alvarez’s home run traveled 429 feet deep into the right-field seats.

The A’s drew first blood in the bottom of the second. With one out, A’s catcher Stephen Vogt took Christian Javier deep. The ball went over the fence in right field. It came o a 1-1 pitch. Now facing Stephen Piscotty, Javier saw his first pitch go out of the park. The back-to-back home runs gave the A’s an early 2-0 lead.

The Astros put one on the board in the top of the fifth. With one out, former SF Giant, Mauricio Dubon, singled. The next hitter, Jake Meyers, tripled to deep right-center-field to drive in Dubon. Irvin retired the next two hitters to end the inning.

The A’s lead got the run back in their half of the fifth. A’s first baseman Jonah Bride singled. Bride stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Tony Kemp drove him in with a double to right. The A’s lead 3-1 after five complete.

In the top of the sixth, the Astros’ DH Yordan Alvarez hit a blast ten rows deep in right-field. As they say in baseball: “there was no doubt about it” when it left the bat. The Astros trail the A’s 3-2 after six.

The A’s added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh. Stephen Piscotty led off the frame with a single, his second hit of the afternoon. Piscotty went to second on a passed ball and scored on Skye Bolt’s single. The A’s lead 4-2. 

Cole Irvin left after pitching seven innings. Domingo Acevedo kept the Astros off the board in the eighth. Lefty A.J.Puk earned his second career save, setting the Astros down 1-2-3 in the ninth to secure the win for Oakland. The A’s win 4-2.

Game Notes: With the win, the A’s are now 38-63. Oakland has won three in a row, six of the last seven, and are 6-2 since the All-Star break. The A’s are 12-8 in their last 20 games. The bullpen is 3-0 and has converted their six save opportunities in the last 12 games. 

Cole Irvin was the winning pitcher. His line was seven innings, four hits, and two runs allowed. His record is 6-7. The Astros’ Christian Javier was the losing pitcher. The Astros are now 64-35. 

Stephen Piscotty hit his fourth home run of the year. He also singled. Tony Kemp had two doubles and a single. Stephen homered for the fifth time this year.

Houston’s Yordan Alvarez blasted his 29th dinger.

The time of the game was two hours and twenty-nine minutes. Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred will be smiling when he hears the news.

The A’s are off on Thursday. They travel to Chicago for three games this weekend against the White Sox. James Kaprielian will go for Oakland. Chicago will counter with Lance Lynn. The game will start at 5:10 pm.