Astros hope offense stays hot in Oakland (Apr 14, 2017)
Offensive outbursts can fizzle as quickly as they erupt; but, for two nights in Seattle, the Houston Astros discovered the offense that prognosticators predicted would be one of the most prolific in the American League.
After suffering a shutout loss in the Mariners' home opener on Monday, their fourth setback in five games, the Astros (6-4) stormed back and scored 17 runs to claim the final two games of the three-game series.
Houston will try to keep their hot bats swinging as they open a series in Oakland on Friday.
The Astros finished 7-for-13 with runners in scoring position and banged out 14 hits in a 7-5 win on Tuesday and followed that breakout performance by going 8-for-17 with runners in scoring position, with 16 hits, in a 10-5 come-from-behind win in the rubber match vs. Seattle.
Houston had labored to convert in the clutch despite posting a winning record on its season-opening, seven-game homestand. Finally scoring runs provided a chance to exhale on the flight from Seattle to the Bay Area.
"We strung a lot of hits together," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "I think nine or 10 times in a row we had back-to-back good things happen, whether it's walks or hits, timely hits. Really good job of putting together some at-bats, staying in the game, playing the whole game, and a really good win."
If the Astros can carry that momentum on the second leg of their road trip, it would serve them well. Ace left-hander Dallas Keuchel (1-0, 0.64 ERA) has delivered two strong starts but has just one win to show for it. A lack of run support undermined his previous appearance, Saturday against the Kansas City Royals, when Keuchel allowed one run over seven innings in a 7-3 loss.
Keuchel is 2-3 with a 2.78 ERA in 14 career appearances (12 starts) against Oakland. He did not record a decision against the Athletics last season despite allowing just three runs on nine hits and five walks over two starts (13 1/3 innings).
The Athletics (5-5) will counter with right-hander Kendall Graveman (2-0, 2.08 ERA) in the series opener. Graveman is 3-2 with a 4.46 ERA in his career against the Astros, including 2-1 with a 4.10 ERA over four starts last season. He logged at least seven innings in each of his final three starts against Houston in 2016.
Oakland claimed its first series win despite falling 3-1 in the finale against the Royals in Kansas City on Thursday night. Despite that loss, the Athletics' starting pitching was stout throughout, allowing just three earned runs over 19 innings.
After Jharel Cotton, Andrew Triggs and Jesse Hahn provided a lift, the Athletics received more good news when right-hander Sonny Gray (lat strain) faced batters for 30 pitches on Thursday. He will throw 45-50 pitches on Monday in Mesa, Ariz., and remains on pace to rejoin the rotation by late April.
"I have every intention to be a big part of this when I get back," Gray said. "To be able to recover and bounce back, it's a really good sign. I felt good. It is always different when you get hitters in there. Now, I'm looking forward to the next step."
