HOUSTON — The Oakland Athletics have a easy purpose as they close to the top of a dreadful season.

“Our mentality is just go out there and win and ruin as many seasons as we can,” Oakland outfielder Tony Kemp stated. “Because we’re not going to be playing in October.”

Shea Langeliers and Kemp each homered because the Athletics jumped on Justin Verlander early in a 6-2 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday evening.

Oakland has gained the primary two video games of this collection to keep away from its a hundredth loss this season. Houston’s lead within the AL West dwindled to 1 recreation with the loss and a win by Texas over Toronto on Tuesday evening.

“You ain’t got no choice, you’ve just got to keep fighting,” Houston supervisor Dusty Baker stated. “That’s what this game is all about and that’s what this team is all about.”

The Astros dwelling woes continued as they fell to 37-37 at Minute Maid Park this season after dropping 12 of their final 16 video games there.

PHOTOS: Langeliers, Kemp homer as Athletics down Astros once more 6-2 to keep away from a hundredth loss

Baker insisted that he’s not involved in regards to the inconsistent play of his crew because the postseason approaches.

“I don’t like it,” he stated. “But I’m not worried.”

A two-run homer by Langeliers made it 3-0 within the first inning and Kemp’s shot within the fifth made it 5-1.

“We talked about trying to make a statement that we’ve obviously got a lot more competitive since the beginning of the year,” supervisor Mark Kotsay stated. “And we knew that we had 18 divisional games in front of us. And this was a part of our stretch that we wanted to go out and compete and win baseball games in our division. And also you kind of use this as a test to see where we’re at going forward for next year.”

Verlander (11-8) allowed eight hits and 5 runs with seven strikeouts in seven innings in his eighth begin since a commerce from the New York Mets.

Verlander was requested if the primary two video games of this collection have been surprising.

“It’s baseball,” he stated. “It’s two games. You don’t want to panic over two games. Obviously, I think you would like to win those games against a team that hasn’t been as good as us this season. but you’re not guaranteed anything.”

Oakland starter J.P. Sears (5-11) yielded 5 hits and two runs in six innings for his third straight win.

An evening after getting shut out 4-0, the Astros once more had hassle stringing hits collectively. Houston, which scored 39 runs in a three-game sweep at Texas final week, went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring place Tuesday towards the lowly A’s.

Zack Gelof bought issues going with a double with one out within the first earlier than the Athletics made it 1-0 when he scored on a single by Ryan Noda. There have been two outs within the inning when Langeliers despatched a curveball from Verlander onto the practice tracks atop left subject to make it 3-0.

The 40-year-old Verlander slumped his shoulders as quickly as Langeliers made contact, figuring out the ball was gone with out even seeing it go away the yard. It’s the second straight powerful begin at dwelling for the three-time Cy Young Award winner, who allowed six hits, together with a season-high 4 homers in a loss to the Yankees on Sept. 1.

Jose Altuve hit a leadoff single for the Astros earlier than slugger Yordan Alvarez singled on a uncommon bunt with one out. Alex Bregman walked to load the bases earlier than Houston minimize the result in 3-1 when Altuve scored on a groundout by Kyle Tucker.

Gelof’s second double began the third and he scored on a one-out double by Seth Brown that made it 4-1.

Kemp opened the fifth along with his homer to right-center to increase the result in 5-1.

Mauricio Dubón and Martín Maldonado hit consecutive singles to start out Houston’s fifth. But the Athletics bought a double play when Jose Altuve popped out and Maldonado was out at first.

Jeremy Peña doubled to attain Dubón and minimize the result in 3, however Alvarez struck out to finish the inning.

Noda was hit by a pitch to start out the eighth and scored on a double by Brown to increase the result in 6-2.

UP NEXT

Houston RHP Hunter Brown (10-11, 4.78 ERA) opposes RHP Paul Blackburn (4-4, 3.88) when the collection wraps up Wednesday evening.

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