Athletics 1 at Houston 3 - Recap

HOUSTON -- Colby Rasmus made a triumphant return from the disabled list and Evan Gattis blasted a home run in support of Colin McHugh, who pitched six scoreless innings in the Houston Astros 3-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park.

Rasmus, sidelined since Aug. 5 following surgery to remove a cyst in his right ear, smacked his 13th home run and added his 17th outfield assist while Gattis blasted his 22nd home run to carry the Astros (70-62) to a series victory over Oakland (57-75).

McHugh (9-10) outdueled Athletics right-hander Kendall Graveman (10-9), who lost for only the third time in his last 12 decisions. McHugh allowed just five baserunners over his six innings while recording five strikeouts for his second consecutive victory.

Graveman also surrendered four hits and one walk but produced just one strikeout while allowing the homers to Rasmus and Gattis.

The Athletics parlayed a fielding error on shortstop Carlos Correa into an unearned run off right-hander Luke Gregerson in the eighth inning. But right-handers Will Harris and Ken Giles sandwiched scoreless frames around Gregerson, with Giles notching his sixth save.

Rasmus made his presence felt immediately as the left-handed bat Astros manager A.J. Hinch needed to balance his right-handed-dominant lineup.

Rasmus homered in his first plate appearance against Graveman, launching a 94 mile-per-hour sinker out to right field with two outs in the second inning. Rasmus had managed just two home runs over the 20 games prior to his stint on the disabled list, his lack a power one sign of the failing health that undercut his offensive production.

A half-inning earlier, Rasmus showcased his defensive might, delivering a strong throw home from left field to erase Ryon Healy for an inning-ending double play. After snagging a fly ball off the bat of Max Muncy, Rasmus made a throw accurate enough for catcher Jason Castro to corral before applying the tag on Healy, who tagged up from third.

Houston mustered a two-out rally in the third with George Springer turning a walk and stolen base (plus a subsequent throwing error from catcher Stephen Vogt) into an RBI opportunity for Alex Bregman. With Springer on third base, Bregman flipped a single to center field for a 2-0 lead against Graveman.

NOTES: According to published reports, the Athletics traded CF Coco Crisp to the Cleveland Indians. The transaction will be announced Wednesday. Crisp was not in the starting lineup Tuesday night and had vacated the clubhouse prior to the game. Crisp played 734 games with the Athletics, batting .253 with 69 home runs, 304 RBIs and 169 stolen bases. ... Astros LF Colby Rasmus was reinstated from the disabled list and made his first start since Aug. 4. Rasmus landed on the 15-day DL the following day and subsequently had surgery to remove a cyst in his right ear. He failed to record a multi-hit game over the last 20 games (18 starts) prior to his DL stint and hit .057 with two home runs and nine RBIs during that span. The Astros optioned RHP Brad Peacock to Triple-A Fresno. ... Athletics LHP Sean Manaea will miss his next scheduled start with a left rhomboid strain (back) suffered on Monday night. Manaea departed with one out in the fourth inning.