Astros tie game in ninth, win in 10th
HOUSTON -- Jake Marisnick scored the winning run in the 10th inning on a two-out throwing error that allowed Carlos Correa to reach base safely and enabled the Houston Astros to salvage a four-game series split with a 2-1 win over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday at Minute Maid Park.
With runners on the corners, Correa hit a sharp grounder to Athletics third baseman Danny Valencia, whose throw across the diamond pulled first baseman Yonder Alonso off the bag. Marisnick, who singled off Athletics right-hander Liam Hendriks (0-2) leading off the inning, scored after stealing second base and advancing to third on a groundout.
Shut down for nine innings, the Astros (48-41) rallied in their last at-bat for a third consecutive game and for a second time against Athletics closer Ryan Madson. Center fielder Carlos Gomez reached on an infield single, swiped second base, and advanced to third on a fly out to right.
Astros catcher Evan Gattis followed with a sharp single to left field, scoring Gomez and tying the game at 1-1. Madson blew a two-run lead in the ninth inning on Friday night, surrendering a walk-off, three-run home run to third baseman Luis Valbuena in a 10-9 Astros victory.
Athletics left-hander Sean Manaea produced the best start of his young career, working seven shutout innings and allowing five hits -- all singles -- while tallying six strikeouts. He matched his season high for innings pitched and produced the second scoreless outing of his rookie season.
The Athletics (38-51) committed three errors behind Manaea, snapping a 15-game errorless stretch, yet Manaea was undaunted.
The Astros managed to advance just two runners to third base against Manaea, with Marwin Gonzalez and Gattis doing so in the sixth and seventh. Manaea managed those situations without pause, retiring Danny Worth and Marisnick in the seventh to strand Gattis.
Manaea combined with two other A's starters, right-hander Kendall Graveman and southpaw Rich Hill, to limit the Astros to three runs and two walks over 21 innings.
Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel produced his fourth consecutive quality start, allowing just one run on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts over seven innings. He faced just three batters over the minimum through five innings before conceding the lone run in the sixth following a leadoff single by Oakland catcher Matt McBride.
Locked in a pitcher's duel, the Athletics manufactured their run, advancing McBride with a sacrifice bunt from Coco Crisp before shortstop Marcus Semien delivered a broken bat, RBI single to left field.
Keuchel walked Valencia but ultimately stranded Semien and Valencia before breezing through the bottom of the Oakland order in the top of the seventh inning. Keuchel threw 99 pitches, 61 for strikes.
NOTES: Astros RHP Scott Feldman will be evaluated over the All-Star break and his status for the upcoming series in Seattle should be determined before the club opens the second half. Feldman departed in the ninth inning on Saturday with general stiffness but is not scheduled for testing. Feldman is 4-1 with a 1.61 ERA since moving to the bullpen. ... Athletics INF Eric Sogard will begin baseball activities in Oakland when the club opens the second half. Sogard has yet to play this season after being placed on the disabled list on March 28 with a cervical strain. ... Oakland closed an injury-marred first half with 11 players on the disabled list, six who have been on the disabled list all season. The Athletics have used the disabled list 20 times, marking the sixth time in 10 years they've used it 20 or more times in a season. The 20 players have combined to miss 826 games.