Field Level Media
Jul 12, 2018
Mark Canha deposited a two-run single down the left field line as the Oakland Athletics capped another three-run rally and their series victory over the Houston Astros with a 6-4 win on Thursday at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
The Athletics scored three runs off Astros right-hander Chris Devenski (2-2) in the eighth inning to complete the comeback they started with their three-run fifth inning against Houston starter Charlie Morton. Oakland claimed the four-game series with the victory, its 19th in 24 games.
The first three batters reached in the eighth for the Athletics, with Khris Davis and Matt Olson recording singles off Devenski before Matt Chapman plated Davis with a double that tied the game at 4-4. One out later, Canha drove home Olson and Chapman with a single that was reviewed to determine if the ball landed foul. The original ruling was upheld to give Oakland the lead.
Oakland rallied from a four-run deficit in the ninth on Tuesday before falling 6-5 in 11 innings in its lone setback of the series. Houston had won eight of nine games against Oakland entering the series.
Houston dropped a series at home for the first time since April 30-May 3 against the Yankees.
The Athletics set the tone for their comeback against Morton, who worked the first four innings scoreless yet didn't survive the fifth.
Morton had 62 pitches on his ledger by the close of the third but appeared to find his stride after retiring the side in order in a 14-pitch fourth. However, facing the bottom third of the Oakland order and leading 4-0, Morton loaded the bases without recording an out before surrendering a two-run double to 28-year-old rookie left fielder Nick Martini, who posted his first career extra-base hit.
Stephen Piscotty delivered an RBI single one out later and Morton was pulled, marking just the third time in two seasons with Houston that he failed to work at least five innings. He allowed three runs on six hits over 4 1/3 innings.
Astros third baseman Alex Bregman recorded the first hit off Athletics starter Trevor Cahill with his two-run double in the third inning. In the fourth, Tony Kemp greeted Oakland reliever Chris Hatcher with a two-run homer to left field, squeezing his third dinger just inside the foul pole.
Right-hander Yusmeiro Petit (3-2) earned the win in relief; Lou Trivino notched his fourth save. Cahill allowed three runs on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings in his return from the disabled list (strained right Achilles).
--Field Level Media