Rookie Zack Gelof broke up Cristian Javier’s no-hit bid as part of a two-run sixth inning, then added an insurance run with his first major league home run, helping the Oakland Athletics to a 4-1 victory over the visiting Houston Astros on Saturday night.
Jace Peterson provided the go-ahead hit with a two-run single, and four A’s pitchers, led by starter Paul Blackburn, combined on a six-hitter to help Oakland overcome Alex Bregman’s third homer in three nights.
Thanks to Bregman’s 16th home run of the season in the top of the sixth, Javier took a no-hitter and a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the inning.
He got Tony Kemp to fly out to extend his bid to 5 1/3 innings before Gelof lined a clean single into left field.
After Seth Brown drew a two-out walk, Phil Maton came on and walked Cody Thomas to load the bases in front of Peterson, who delivered his single to center field to flip the one-run advantage in Oakland’s favor.
The two runs were charged to Javier (7-2), who took the loss despite allowing just one hit in his 5 2/3 innings. He walked six and struck out five.
Gelof’s homer came off Ryne Stanek in the seventh, increasing the advantage to 3-1. The homer came in the 23-year-old’s 33rd big-league plate appearance.
Brown added a solo shot, his 10th homer of the season, off Joel Kuhnel in the eighth to account for the final margin.
Blackburn limited the Astros to one run and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out five.
Blackburn left with Oakland down 1-0 and two runners aboard with one out in the sixth, before Austin Pruitt induced Corey Julks to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Pruitt (2-6), who threw only four pitches, was credited with the win. Lucas Erceg worked scoreless seventh and eighth innings, striking out four, before Trevor May recorded his ninth save.
May benefitted from a leaping catch at the left field wall by Kemp, who robbed pinch hitter Yainer Diaz of extra bases.
Peterson and Gelof each had two hits for the A’s, who have won three of their last five.
Bregman and Jose Abreu had two hits apiece for the Astros, who had won the first two games of the series.
–Field Level Media
