A's odd fourth-inning rally snaps losing skid vs. Astros originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
An impressive yet bizarre 3-2 win by the Athletics snapped a six-game losing streak against the Houston Astros on Saturday afternoon.
The A's were held to four hits for a fourth straight game but took advantage of miscommunication between Astros pitcher Framber Valdez and catcher Martin Maldonado in the fourth inning.
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With bases loaded and one out, Seth Brown’s chopper was just enough to bring Sean Murphy home and cut the deficit to one.
Then, things really got wild at the Coliseum.
Valdez threw the ball to Sheldon Neuse and it somehow bounced away from Maldonado, allowing Elvis Andrus to cruise past home plate and tie the game at two.
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The A’s third and eventually game-winning run came immediately after, when Stephen Piscotty scored on a wild pitch by Valdez.
All three A's runs came without getting the ball past the mound, but Oakland will certainly take what it can get.
Oakland's bullpen then shut down a powerful lineup the rest of the way.
Rookie Zach Logue was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas and made a spot start to fill in for the temporarily injured Frankie Montas. After the Astros scored two runs early in the game, the 26-year-old lefty retired the next 11 batters through the end of the fifth inning.
And the rest of the 'pen was just as impressive.
"It was awesome," Logue said after the game. "Getting through five and you turn it over to the bullpen, we have full confidence that they're going to take us to the end and they did exactly that. A couple hits through the last four innings and they did an awesome job against a really good lineup."
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Five relievers combined for four innings of two-hit ball and Lou Trivino got his seventh save in eight chances.
While Oakland's offense continued to struggle, a win is a win, and the A's can definitely use the momentum for the series finale vs. the Astros on Sunday at 1:07 p.m.
