Athletics at Astros
The Oakland Athletics ended a pair of skids behind the bats of Khris Davis and Jed Lowrie and now hope to begin a winning streak when they visit the Houston Astros on Sunday for the rubber match of their three-game series. Oakland had dropped five straight overall and 10 in a row versus Houston before posting a 2-1 triumph on Saturday.
Lowrie homered during a 2-for-4 performance and is 14-for-36 over his last nine games while Davis also went deep, giving him three homers in two contests following a six-game drought and an American League high-tying 10 on the season. Houston had won three straight at home before Saturday's setback, which was its third in four overall contests. The Astros won their previous three meetings with the Athletics this season, outscoring them 26-12 in the process. Jose Altuve, who has yet to go consecutive games without a hit, accounted for Houston's offense on Saturday by going 2-for-3 with a home run.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, NBC Sports California (Oakland), ROOT (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Jesse Hahn (1-1, 2.08 ERA) vs. Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (4-0, 1.22)
Hahn has excelled since joining the rotation, allowing four runs and nine hits over 20 innings in three turns. Three of those runs came in his first start, a loss at Kansas City on April 13, and the 27-year-old native of Connecticut is coming off his best outing yet - a no-decision at the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday in which he gave up one hit and two walks over eight scoreless frames. Hahn has made three career starts against Houston, going 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA.
Keuchel is hoping for a repeat performance after allowing one run and four hits over seven innings in a victory at Oakland on April 14. The 2015 American League Cy Young Award winner continued his path toward a second trophy on Tuesday, recording a complete-game victory at Cleveland despite giving up a season-high two runs. Keuchel, who has worked at least seven innings in all five of his turns this season, is 3-3 with one complete game and a 2.67 ERA in 15 career appearances (13 starts) versus the Athletics.
WALK-OFFS
1. Lowrie is riding a five-game hitting streak that has featured three two-hit performances.
2. Houston OF Jake Marisnick (concussion) began a rehab assignment with Double-A Corpus Christi on Saturday and hopes to be activated on Monday.
3. Oakland MGR Bob Melvin announced RHP Sonny Gray (lat) will be activated from the disabled list and start Tuesday's series opener in Minnesota.