Jose Altuve drew a four-pitch walk from Oakland closer Blake Treinen with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday, giving the Houston Astros a 9-8 win Sunday and a three-game sweep of the Athletics.
Josh Reddick walked and Aledmys Diaz singled off Treinen (0-1) to begin the ninth. Reddick was then thrown out at third on a bunt by Robinson Chirinos.
Tony Kemp walked to load the bases before Treinen struck out George Springer. Altuve never saw a strike, forcing home the winning run.
Roberto Osuna (1-0) struck out one in a perfect ninth for the win.
The Astros scored five runs in the first, but trailed 8-6 going into the eighth. Kemp homered off Lou Trivino, Springer followed with a flyball that dropped in shallow right field for a double and Treinen relieved. A single by Altuve set up Alex Bregman's tying sacrifice fly.
Oakland trailed by a run with one on and one out in the sixth when Josh Phegley connected on his first home run of the season off rookie Josh James, which bounced off the wall above the seats in left field to make it 7-6.
Chad Pinder, who drove in two runs in the first with a double, homered off Hector Rondon to start the A's eighth for an 8-6 lead.
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Robbie Grossman homered with three RBIs and finished a triple shy of the cycle as the Athletics lost for the fourth time in five games.
The Athletics got a rough start from Mike Fiers, who allowed seven hits and six runs without getting out of the second inning. He entering the game having pitched 12 straight scoreless innings.
Houston starter Brad Peacock also struggled early, allowing four runs in the first two innings before settling in and giving up just one more run in the next three.
Diaz got his first hit as an Astro with a three-run homer in the first and drove in a fourth run with a bases-loaded walk.
The Athletics took a 2-0 lead in the first when Pinder got a two-run double that hit roof before landing in left field.
UP NEXT
Athletics: Oakland begins a four-game series at Baltimore on Monday when Marco Estrada (0-0, 2.76 ERA) opposes Andrew Cashner (1-1, 5.40). Estrada allowed two hits and three runs — two earned — in 5 1/3 innings in his last start but did not factor in the decision.
Astros: RHP Justin Verlander will start on Monday when Houston begins a three-game series at home with the Yankees. Verlander will look to get back on track after allowing six hits and four runs in four innings of a loss to Texas in his last start.
