Field Level Media
Sep 10, 2020
Ramon Laureano, suspended earlier this season for charging the Houston Astros' dugout, got a measure of revenge Wednesday night with a two-out, walk-off single in the ninth inning, giving the host Oakland Athletics a 3-2 win in a matchup of the American League West's top two teams.
The win was the third in four days for the A's (26-15) over the Astros (22-22), pushing the Oakland advantage to 5 1/2 games atop the division.
The clubs conclude a five-game set and their 10-game season series on Thursday afternoon.
After the A's had erased a 2-0 deficit with a two-run seventh, Oakland caught a break when Astros closer Ryan Pressly (1-2) walked Sean Murphy and then hit Tony Kemp with a pitch to open the ninth.
After two infield outs left runners at first and second, Laureano launched a Presley pitch deep into left-center field, sending Tommy La Stella home with the game-winner and Oakland's fifth walk-off win of the season.
A's closer Liam Hendriks (3-0) got the win after working a 1-2-3 top of the ninth.
The Astros took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh before a pair of walks and a two-out, two-run double by La Stella off Houston's fourth pitcher, Josh James, tied the game.
The Astros had led since the fourth pitch of the game, which George Springer blasted over the fence in center field off A's starter Jesus Luzardo for an immediate lead. The homer was Springer's eighth of the season.
Luzardo and Astros starter, Luis Garcia, then matched zeroes until Yuli Gurriel doubled the Houston advantage with a solo shot in the sixth, his sixth of the season.
Seeking his first major league win in just his second game, Garcia was pulled after five innings with a 2-0 lead. He allowed just one hit, walked two and struck out four.
Luzardo completed seven innings, charged with two runs on four hits. He walked one and struck out seven.
La Stella had two hits for Oakland, which out-hit Houston just 5-4.
Springer went 2-for-4 for Houston, whose walk-off loss was its fifth of the season after two such wins. They've now lost seven of eight.
--Field Level Media