Butler hits one of A's five homers in win over Astros

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Lawrence Butler hit one of the Athletics’ five homers, fell a single short of the cycle and made a tremendous throw from right field to cut down a runner at the plate as Oakland beat the Houston Astros 8-2 on Tuesday night.

Brent Rooker, Seth Brown, Zack Gelof and Shea Langeliers also connected to help the A’s hand the AL West-leading Astros a second consecutive defeat.

Butler tripled and scored on Rooker’s two-run drive in the first inning, homered in the third and doubled in a run in the sixth. The longball was his eighth in July, and the A’s leadoff hitter leads the majors with 24 RBIs this month.

“I’m just trying to keep putting up good at-bats, keeping hitting the ball hard, just letting the game be the game,” Butler said. “Just really continue to be myself and put up good at-bats for the rest of the team.”

Needing a single to complete the A’s first cycle since 2007, Butler drew a five-pitch walk against Rafael Montero, raising a smattering of boos from the crowd of 5,896 at the Oakland Coliseum.

“This kid just has the momentum right now,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “This is the type of baseball, when we brought him up last year, that I thought he’s capable of playing. Now we’re starting to see it, see it every day.”

Victor Caratini and Jeremy Peña homered for the Astros.

Osvaldo Bido (2-1) struck out six in five innings in his second career start and first since May 8. Bido allowed four hits and one run.

“For him to get through five innings and do what he did against a really good Astros lineup, you gotta tip your cap,” Kotsay said. “Job well done.”

The A’s, who entered the night tied with the St. Louis Cardinals for the major league lead in double plays turned, added to that list when Butler caught a fly ball and made a no-hop throw to nail Alex Bregman, who tagged up and tried to score from third.

Kotsay called it the play of the game, and so did several of Butler’s teammates.

“He makes that play, they don’t score and everybody’s excited,” Rooker said. “He’s out there doing it all. He’s showing that he has the ability, which we all knew, to go out there and be a game-changer and be a dynamic player in this league.”

Butler rode that momentum into his first at-bat with a leadoff triple against Jake Bloss (0-1). Three batters later, Rooker crushed an 0-1 fastball into the left field stands.

Rooker’s homer was his team-leading 23rd. Brown and Gelof connected for back-to-back shots off Bloss in the fourth. Langeliers’ 19th homer came against Seth Martinez in the seventh.

It was the fifth game this season in which the A’s have hit four or more homers, tied for fifth-most in the majors.

Bloss allowed five runs and six hits in four innings of his third career start. He had five strikeouts and one walk.

Scott Alexander, Tyler Ferguson, Michel Otañez and T.J. McFarland each retired three batters for the A’s.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: OF Kyle Tucker (shin), sidelined since June 3, did some light defensive work Tuesday but is not yet ready for a rehab assignment, manager Joe Espada said.

UP NEXT

Astros RHP Hunter Brown (8-6, 4.14 ERA) faces the A’s in the series finale Wednesday. Brown owns an AL-leading 2.15 ERA since May 22. Oakland counters with LHP JP Sears (7-7, 4.49).

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