Field Level Media
Apr 27, 2018
Sean Manaea allowed an unearned run on four hits over seven innings of work and Matt Chapman, Chad Pinder and Mark Canha each hit home runs as the Oakland Athletics rolled to an 8-1 win over the Houston Astros on Friday at Minute Maid Park.
Manaea (4-2), who no-hit the Red Sox on April 21 in his most recent start, struck out seven and walked just one, lowering his ERA to 1.03.
Dallas Keuchel (1-4) took the loss for the Astros upon allowing six runs on seven hits in seven innings of work. Keuchel struck out three and didn't walk a batter.
The win was the ninth in the past 11 games for the Athletics, who started the season 5-10 and now are 14-12.
Marcus Semien, Pinder and Chapman had two hits apiece in Oakland's 10-hit attack.
The Astros, who have lost three of their past four games (all to AL West rivals), managed just five hits off three Oakland pitchers.
After a scoreless duel between Manaea and Keuchel through 3 1/2 innings, Carlos Correa started the scoring with an RBI single in the fourth to give the Astros a 1-0 lead.
Chapman tied the score with a solo home run off Keuchel in the fifth, and the A's took charge in the sixth, thanks to a two-run homer by Pinder that pushed Oakland to a 3-1 lead.
The Athletics added three runs in the seventh off Keuchel on a single by Matt Olson that drove home Chapman and a two-run home run by Canha that brought Olson home.
Oakland capped the scoring with two runs in the eighth on former Astro Jed Lowrie's triple off Joe Smith that plated Semien and Pinder.
Saturday's probables are former Texas A&M standout right-hander Daniel Mengden (2-2, 3.86 ERA) for Oakland and right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. (3-1, 4.67) for the Astros.
--Field Level Media