Astros Win a close one 7-6

A heart-breaking loss in Seattle on getaway day. Then the A’s continued their dominance over the Astros to begin this homestand. But every losing streak is eventually snapped and this one is gone after three games.

Dallas Keuchel continued his strong start to the 2014 campaign. The top of the first was rough for him, however, as he faced seven batters and allowed two to score. Keuchel was able to settle down to pitch 6 1/3 innings, another quality start, while yielding 3 earned runs on 6 hits, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts.

Dallas Keuchel

()Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

When the Astros came up to bat in the bottom of the first, they were already trailing by a score of 2-0. Dexter Fowler quickly got the ‘Stros on the board with a solo shot to right field. Dallas tried his best to get a quick shutdown inning in the second. A 1-2-3 frame was recorded after a replay indicated that the ruling on the field was incorrect and Coco Crisp‘s infield single was indeed a ground out.

In the bottom half of the inning, a leadoff walk to Marc Krauss put the Astros in business. Then Chris Carter came to the plate and sent a no doubter to left center field.

The Astros had a lead against the Oakland Athletics. Goose eggs filled the board for a few innings. Then Keuchel ran into trouble that he couldn’t escape on his own. A walk and a single after a strikeout of Josh Reddick put runners on 1st and 2nd with just one out in the seventh. Enter Jerome Williams. With a blown save earlier in the week, why not have another one tonight?

The A’s would tie the game on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Coco Crisp but Williams was able to escape without any further damage. So Keuchel is rewarded for his efforts with a no decision.

Chris Carter got to 3rd base in the bottom of the 7th before Matt Dominguez struck out looking.

Williams throws a scoreless top of the 8th and the Astros come up to bat. Enter one of baseball’s superstitious items as, by this time, Carlos Corporan had taken Julia Morales’ Jason Castro. Leave it there! is shouted across Twitter as the Astros scored four runs after four singles by Marwin Gonzalez, Jose Altuve, Dexter Fowler, and Jason Castro got them a 5-3 advantage. George Springer would ground out to get a run home before the A’s pitcher Luke Gregerson threw a wild pitch that allowed Castro to reach third. On another ground ball out, Castro would score to give the Astros a 7-3 lead.

But Bo Porter sends Williams back to the mound. In a situation where the staff should have gotten three quick outs and had the team shake hands on the field, Jerome had to make things interesting. A single, walk, and home run later has the game at 7-6.

One would think the homer would have ended Williams’ night. NOPE! Another single and he’s still in the game. (I’m fidgeting in a close-quarters environment, trying to keep up with the game despite extremely poor signal). A groundball gets the Astros an out at second but the team failed to turn a double play. Finally a pitching change.

Raul Valdes comes in to face the left-handed hitting John Jaso. Boom. Strikeout. Finally the game ends with Valdes getting a save by getting another strikeout of Jed Lowrie.

The conclusion of this 4-game set with the Oakland Athletics is at 1:10 PM central as Tommy Milone faces Collin McHugh.