A's 10, Astros 9
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Catcher Josh Phegley and first baseman Mark Canha hit home runs, powering the Oakland A's to a 10-9 victory over the Houston Astros in the opener of a three-game series Monday afternoon at the O.co Coliseum.
The last-place A's, who trail first-place Houston by 16 games in the American League West, snapped their five-game losing streak.
The Astros (75-63) fell to 27-39 away from Minute Maid Park, opening a 10-game, 11-day road trip with their fourth consecutive loss at the Coliseum.
Astros shortstop Carlos Correa hit his 17th home run of the season, a three-run blast in the seventh inning. Third baseman Jonathan Villar led off the seventh with a pinch-hit home run, his second shot of season.
Houston left fielder Jake Marisnick added a two-run shot in the eighth, his ninth of the season. He went 2-for-3 and drove in three runs.
Phegley hit a two-run homer in the seventh, his ninth of the year. Canha hit his 13th home run in the first inning, a solo shot. He went 2-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs.
Left-hander Sean Doolittle pitched a perfect ninth inning for his first save of the season, striking out center fielder Carlos Gomez to end the game.
The A's broke a 2-2 tie with six runs in the sixth, sending 11 batters to the plate, knocking right-hander Mike Fiers (2-1) out of the game and forcing Houston to use three relievers to escape the inning.
Fiers, who gave up four runs on five hits over five-plus innings, issued back-to-back walks to open the inning, ending his day. Right-hander Josh Fields took over, and designated hitter Billy Butler greeted him with a sharp single to left, loading the bases.
Pinch hitter Coco Crisp launched a two-run double off the right field fence -- his fourth straight pinch hit -- just missing a grand slam but giving Oakland a 4-2 lead.
With one out, shortstop Marcus Semien walked, reloading the bases, and center fielder Billy Burns grounded a two-run single to right past a drawn in infield, making it 6-2.
Canha lined an RBI single to right off Fields, and left-hander Joe Thatcher walked right fielder Josh Reddick. Third baseman Danny Valencia, facing right-hander Vince Velasquez, hit into a force play, driving in Burns to give Oakland an 8-2 lead.
The Astros responded with four runs in the seventh as Villar launched a pinch-hit, leadoff homer off left-hander Felix Doubront and Correa crushed a three-run shot with two outs off reliever Fernando Rodriguez. Doubront (3-1) gave up four runs on eight hits over six-plus innings.
Oakland (59-79) extended its lead to 10-6 in the seventh on Phegley's two-run blast off Velasquez, but Houston scored three times in the eighth, making it 10-9. After taking advantage of an A's error to score and unearned run, the Astros got a pinch hit single from Jed Lowrie. Marisnick then crushed a two-run shot to left field off left-hander Drew Pomeranz.
NOTES: Oakland C Stephen Vogt was out of lineup Monday, one day after being hit in the groin by a foul ball against Seattle and going to the hospital. "Based on the ultrasound yesterday, nothing is ruptured or fractured," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "There was a lot of swelling so they're going to do another one today to make sure." Vogt was released from the hospital. ... Astros RF George Springer returned to the lineup Monday after getting a scheduled day off Sunday. Springer was activated from the disabled list Friday after missing 53 games with a fractured right wrist. He will start all three games against Oakland, Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. ... Astros 3B Jed Lowrie, a switch hitter who missed 82 games earlier this season with a torn ligament in his right thumb, was out of the starting lineup against A's LHP Felix Doubront. He singled as a pinch hitter.