Astros thump Athletics behind Brown to avoid series sweep

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Hunter Brown had eight strikeouts in six innings to remain one of the hottest pitchers in baseball, helping the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 8-1 on Wednesday.

Chas McCormick homered for the first time in more than a month and Jose Altuve had three hits and two RBIs as the Astros bounced back to win the last game of the series after losing the first two in likely their final regular-season trip to the Coliseum.

“Just trying to keep it rolling,” Brown said. “You’re just trying to put together good innings, good outings and make good pitches. You kind of start stringing some of that stuff together, you’re going to see some things happen that you want to happen, the things that you prepare for.”

The game was played before 14,978 fans, the third-largest crowd at the Coliseum this season.

Seth Brown had three hits for the A’s, who had won five of six.

Hunter Brown (9-6) pitched around traffic in every inning he worked but limited the damage while winning for the eighth time in his last nine starts. The right-hander, who gave up consecutive doubles to begin the game, struck out the side twice and allowed eight hits with one walk.

“He shut us down in that first inning when we had some momentum,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “He commanded the ball really well and really didn’t give us much of a chance.”

During his strong stretch, Brown has lowered his ERA from 6.18 to 4.00.

“Hunter Brown set the tone from the beginning,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “He kind of has that ace feeling to him. We are expecting him to go out there and deliver what he just did.”

Bryan Abreu, Tayler Scott and Bryan King retired three batters each to finish the game.

Lawrence Butler and Miguel Andujar got Oakland going early with back-to-back doubles in the first inning. Andujar was later thrown out by Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña trying to score on a grounder.

Houston tied it in the second after Jon Singleton reached on a two-base fielding error by Seth Brown at first base, then scored on Altuve’s single to left field. Altuve tried to stretch the hit into a double but was thrown out by Andujar.

Peña added an RBI single that deflected off Oakland pitcher JP Sears’ foot and bounced into left field in the sixth.

Altuve and Alex Bregman each doubled in a run as part of a four-run seventh.

Sears (7-8), unbeaten in three previous starts this month, allowed eight runs (seven earned) and nine hits in six innings.

The A’s put two on with two outs in the seventh before Astros center fielder Jake Meyers made a tumbling catch on Brent Rooker’s short flyball to end the inning.

UP NEXT

Astros: Had not announced a scheduled starting pitcher for Friday’s home game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Athletics: The team plans to activate RHP Ross Stripling (1-9, 5.82 ERA) off the injured list to start Thursday’s series opener against the Angels. Stripling has been on a rehab assignment recovering from a strained right elbow.

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