OAKLAND - After trailing the Astros by 12 games exactly two months ago, the A's have pulled even. Oakland beat Houston 7-1 Saturday afternoon to improve to 74-49 and move into a first-place tie atop the AL West.
Trevor Cahill was masterful, pitching seven shutout innings, allowing just an infield single and a walk, while striking out seven. Cahill improved to 5-2 on the season, lowering his league-leading home ERA to 0.85, and his overall ERA to 3.12.
With the win, the A's clinched yet another series victory, improving to 15-1-2 in their last 18 series. They have now won 40 of their last 53 games overall, and 19 of their last 23 at the Coliseum.
Here's what else you need to know from Saturday's victory...
--- Khris Davis busted out of a mini-slump, going 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBI. Davis entered the game 0 for his last 13, but staked the A's to an early lead when he ripped a 2-run double to left in the first inning. He doubled again in the sixth inning, his 24th two-bagger of the season. Davis increased his RBI total to 95, second most in MLB behind Boston's J.D. Martinez.
--- The A's added three more runs in the sixth inning, thanks to four doubles. Davis, Matt Olson, and Stephen Piscotty led off the inning with three straight doubles, and Josh Phegley added another one later on. The A's notched eight doubles in the game, tying the Oakland single-game record, last accomplished in 2013.
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--- Phegley made his 17th start of the season at catcher and went 2-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI. The A's are now 15-2 in games Phegley has started this season.
--- Olson and Piscotty had big days as well, both going 2-for-4 with two doubles and a run batted in. Piscotty leads the A's with 33 doubles on the season. Olson has 26.
