Athletics 2, Astros 1
HOUSTON -- Three relievers worked 4 2/3 combined hitless innings as the Oakland Athletics snapped a four-game losing skid with a 2-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Monday night at Minute Maid Park.
Right-handers Edward Mujica, Evan Scribner and Tyler Clippard shut down the red-hot Astros (25-14), who had their five-game winning streak officially snapped when Clippard notched his fourth save with a perfect ninth inning. Astros first baseman Chris Carter worked a leadoff walk off Mujica in the sixth inning and was the lone Houston batter to reach base against the Oakland bullpen.
Scribner retired the Astros in order in the seventh and eighth innings and was the beneficiary of a spectacular running catch by center fielder Sam Fuld leading off the eighth. Fuld tracked a scorching line drive by Astros right fielder George Springer, tracking the ball up Tal's Hill in center field, making the grab an estimated 426 feet from home plate.
Mujica (2-1) entered with two baserunners on in the fifth and escaped damage by recording a force out before striking out Astros left fielder Preston Tucker. Oakland (14-26) grabbed the lead for good in the sixth.
McCullers exhibited control issues from his opening frame, walking Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien with one out in the first before issuing free passes to center fielder Sam Fuld and left fielder Coco Crisp to load the bases in the second. Oakland pulled even one at-bat prior to the Crisp walk, with second baseman Eric Sogard delivering an RBI single to right that scored first baseman Max Muncy, who doubled with one out.
But following the Crisp walk, McCullers retired nine consecutive batters. It wasn't until Semien doubled with two outs in the fifth that McCullers lost his groove, and Semien proved to be the final batter of his debut.
McCullers allowed one run on three hits and three walks with five strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings, throwing 93 pitches, including 54 strikes.
The Athletics pushed across a run against the Astros bullpen in the sixth, but they failed to capitalize on what could have been a bigger inning after loading the bases with no outs against lefty Joe Thatcher.
Third baseman Brett Lawrie delivered an RBI bloop single against right-hander Will Harris, but Harris responded by inducing a pair of ground balls, the second of which Carter turned into a nifty 3-2 double play to end the threat with Oakland up 2-1.
NOTES: Astros RHP Samuel Deduno (lower back strain) was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 14. The Astros also transferred SS Jed Lowrie (right thumb ligament tear) from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL. The moves cleared space on the 25- and 40-man rosters for Monday's starter, RHP Lance McCullers. At 21 years, 228 days, McCullers became the youngest starting pitcher to make his Astros debut since RHP Jordan Lyles (20 years, 224 days) on May 31, 2011, at the Chicago Cubs. ... Athletics RHP Jarrod Parker will undergo surgery Tuesday to stabilize a fracture in his right elbow. Parker, who was attempting a comeback from a second Tommy John surgery, experienced a setback while making a rehab start for Triple-A Nashville on May 8. Before the latest injury, he was set to return to the Oakland rotation by the end of May.