OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Astros’ shortstop Jeremy Peña hit a two-run residence run in his first at-bat since getting a deliberate break day, backing one other stable outing from Framber Valdez as Houston despatched the Oakland Athletics to their tenth consecutive loss with a 6-3 win Saturday.
Alex Bregman had three hits and three RBI for Houston, which has received 13 of 16.
The Astros (30-21) are a season-high 9 video games over .500 after opening the season 3-6.
“We’ve known we had a great team from the jump,” Peña mentioned. “It’s just the flows of the season. We know that. Now it’s just a matter of showing up and doing that every day.”
The victory was the two,123rd of Astros supervisor Dusty Baker’s profession, two shy of Hall of Famer Joe McCarthy for eighth on the all-time listing.
Valdez, who six days earlier pitched his second profession shutout in opposition to the A’s, was nearly as dominant this time, too, regardless of three walks.
PHOTOS: Peña homers in return to Astros lineup, Houston beats struggling Oakland 6-3
The 2022 All-Star allowed one run and 4 hits in six innings with 5 strikeouts to win back-to-back begins for the primary time this season.
“They definitely made some adjustments but the key for me was just trying to throw the same game I’ve thrown, just trying to attack the strike zone and throw my pitches,” Valdez mentioned by means of a translator. “
Four Astros relievers mixed to two-hit the A’s over the ultimate three innings. Ryan Pressly retired three hitters for his tenth save.
The A’s, off to a traditionally unhealthy begin at 10-44, are on tempo for 132 losses – two shy of the foremost league report held by the 1899 Cleveland Spiders.
Oakland was managed by bench coach Darren Bush whereas Mark Kotsay attended his daughter’s highschool commencement.
The A’s scored twice within the eighth on Shea Langeliers’ two-out single off Hector Neris to tug inside 6-3 earlier than Tony Kemp grounded out.
“We were hitting the ball hard. We didn’t get any love where they were falling in but we hit the ball hard,” Bush mentioned. “We put together better at-bats against (Valdez) this time than we did last time, which is good.”
Peña, who had been in a 3-for-24 droop earlier than the break day Friday, hit his seventh homer on the third pitch of the sport and the primary he noticed from A’s opener Austin Pruitt (1-2). Jose Altuve, who singled main off the sport, scored.
Peña doubled off the wall in left within the eighth and scored on Bregman’s three-run double.
“You always want to be out there but it’s for my best interests,” Peña mentioned of his break day. “It’s a long season. Dusty knows that and does a great time managing our health and energy.”
Valdez (5-4) additionally made a terrific defensive play after the A’s loaded the bases with two outs within the fifth.
Oakland’s Seth Brown hit a pointy grounder that first baseman José Abreu bobbled into foul territory. Abreu chased the ball then flipped it backward to Valdez, who was protecting first.
The play saved no less than one run and will have swung momentum within the A’s favor had it not been for Valdez’s hustle.
“We’re all proud of him how he fielded his position covering first ,” Baker mentioned. “That was a real big play.”
MOVES
Athletics: RHP Adrián Martínez was optioned to Las Vegas to make room for reliever Hogan Harris. Martinez had a 2.84 ERA in 5 outings since coming off from the Injured List on May 15.
UP NEXT
Astros’ RHP Cristian Javier (5-1, 3.07 ERA) makes his twelfth profession look in opposition to the A’s in Sunday’s season-finale. Javier has confronted just one group, Texas, extra. RHP Luis Medina (0-3, 6.45), winless in three begins since being referred to as up from the minors May 11, goes for Oakland.
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