JP Sears combined with four relievers on a four-hitter, Brent Rooker continued his hot month of May with a two-run double and the Oakland Athletics finally got a win over the visiting Houston Astros, prevailing 3-1 on Saturday afternoon.
Sears (4-3), who held the Astros to one run in five innings to record a no-decision last week in Houston, allowed just one unearned run over six innings in the rematch. He limited the visitors to two hits and one walk on Saturday, striking out one.
Houston’s only run came in the sixth and was gift-wrapped thanks to an inning-opening, two-base throwing error by A’s shortstop Max Schuemann. Two fly balls — the first a flyout, the second a sacrifice fly to right by Kyle Tucker — brought home Mauricio Dubon to get the Astros within 2-1.
Sears had pitched with a lead ever since the bottom of the first, when Abraham Toro singled on Spencer Arrighetti’s fourth pitch of the game and took second on a walk to JJ Bleday.
Rooker, who entered the game with 19 RBIs in 21 games in May, then ripped his double into the left field corner, sending both baserunners home.
The designated hitter’s hit was the only one of the extra-base variety in the game.
The A’s countered Houston’s scoring in the sixth with one run of their own in the last of the inning after Seth Brown and Kyle McCann opened the frame with singles.
Arrighetti (2-5) was pulled at that point, after which Daz Cameron stroked a two-out single off Tayler Scott, scoring Brown and increasing the Oakland lead to 3-1.
Arrighetti was charged with three runs on five hits in his five-plus innings. He walked three and struck out seven.
Austin Adams, Lucas Erceg, Scott Alexander and Mason Miller retained the two-run advantage over the final three innings, combining to allow just two hits.
Miller needed 15 pitches to strike out the side in the ninth for his 10th save.
Brown had two singles for the A’s, who outhit the Astros 6-4.
Dubon collected two hits for the Astros, who had beaten the A’s in their first five meetings of the season, including four wins in a row last week in Houston.
–Field Level Media
