OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics were held to four hits for a fourth consecutive game and made it hold up for for rookie Zach Logue in a 3-2 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday.
Logue pitched five innings of three-hit ball after being recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas and dealt the Astros their second loss in 12 games. The 26-year-old left-hander allowed two runs and set down his final 10 batters he after Martín Maldonado’s second-inning sacrifice fly.
Sean Murphy had two hits and made a heads-up running play to score the A’s first run off Framber Valdez, helping Oakland to its first win in five tries this season against AL West-leading Houston.
Aledmys Díaz doubled and scored for the Astros.
Five relievers combined for four innings of two-hit ball, sending the Astros to their second loss in 10 games. Lou Trivino worked the ninth for his seventh save in eight chaces, retiring pinch-hitter J.J. Matijevic on a game-ending flyout with two on.
The A’s loaded the bases with two singles and a walk in the fourth, then scored three runs without getting the ball past the mound.
Murphy singled leading off the inning and came home on Seth Brown’s chopper in front of the plate. He ran around Maldonado on the third-base line and slid in with his left hand touching the plate.
Elvis Andrus scampered home on a passed ball that glanced off Maldonado’s glove and Stephen Piscotty came in on a wild pitch.
Valdez (8-4), who pitched a two-hitter against the A’s on May 30, went the distance again but couldn’t overcome his wildness in the fourth. The lefty allowed three runs — two earned — and worked around two walks.
The Astros frustrations boiled over in the eighth when manager Dusty Baker was ejected by plate umpire Ben May after Maldonado struck out looking leading off the inning. Maldonado shouted at May as he walked away but May looked into the Astros dugout and signaled to toss Baker, who came out to argue.
Chas McCormick hit an RBI single and Maldonado had a sacrifice fly in the second to put the Astros ahead 2-0.
MAKING MOVES
The A’s traded INF Christian Bethancourt to the Rays for a pair of minor leaguers. Bethancourt hit .249 average with four homers and 19 RBIs in 56 games with the A’s after beginning the season in the minors. Oakland also optioned LHP Sam Sellman to Las Vegas to make room for Logue.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: INF Jeremy Peña, who came out of health and safety protocols Friday, was held out.
UP NEXT
Astros RHP Jake Odorizzi (3-2, 4.04) pitches the series finale Sunday in his second start since coming off the Injured List. Odorizzi allowed five runs and nine hits in four innings against the Royals on Monday. Cole Irvin (3-6, 3.55) has one win in nine starts since coming off the injured list on May 22, although the A’s left-hander has a 1.49 ERA at the Coliseum.
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