Astros 5, A's 1
HOUSTON -- Right fielder George Springer belted a tie-breaking, two-run home run in the fifth inning and right-hander Collin McHugh worked eight strong innings as the Houston Astros won the rubber match of their three-game series with the Oakland Athletics 5-1 on Sunday at Minute Maid Park.
Springer lined a 2-2 slider from Athletics right-hander Aaron Brooks into the Crawford Boxes in left field with two outs, scoring catcher Max Stassi and lifting the Astros (79-71) to a critical series win. For Springer, it was his 14th home run of the season and first since returning from a two-plus month stay on the disabled list on Sept. 4.
McHugh (17-7) bounced back from a rough outing last week against the Rangers, limiting Oakland to one run on four hits and two walks while notching eight strikeouts. He surrendered a two-out RBI double to Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien in the second inning but recovered to retire 14 of 15 batters before running into trouble in the seventh.
With Semien at the plate and two runners in scoring position, McHugh rallied with an inning-ending strikeout to strand Stephen Vogt and Jake Smolinski at second and third base, respectively. McHugh returned in the top of the eighth and retired the Athletics in order to close his 113-pitch outing with a flourish.
Astros left fielder Colby Rasmus erased the Athletics' 1-0 lead with his solo home run off Brooks (2-4) in the bottom of the second inning, a line drive off the right-field foul pole. Rasmus added his 21st home run on the season in the eighth inning off left-hander Barry Zito, a two-run shot, and recorded his sixth career multi-homer game in the process.
Sunday marked the first appearance for Zito in the majors since Sept. 29, 2013. Zito was selected by the Athletics (64-86) from Triple A Nashville on last Wednesday. The Athletics dropped the season series to Houston 10-9.
NOTES: Athletics DH Stephen Vogt returned to the lineup for the first time since Sept. 6 after being sidelined by a groin injury. Vogt was batting .500 (11-for-22) over his last seven games prior to the injury and .400 (16-for-40) with three doubles, one triple and two home runs over his previous 12 games. ... Astros IF Marwin Gonzalez was available as a right-handed pinch hitter on Saturday night and will remain in that role as he battles soreness in his left index finger, left thumb and left wrist. Gonzalez, a switch-hitter, can better manage his discomfort batting right-handed. ... The A's selected C Bryan Anderson from Triple A Nashville to supplement their depth at backstop. With Stephen Vogt nursing a groin injury and Josh Phegley sidelined by a concussion, Carson Blair was the only healthy catcher on the Oakland roster.