Astros regain winning formula, defeat A’s

Danny Valencia hit two home runs, including a two-run blast in the eighth inning that delivered the Oakland Athletics a 4-3 win over the reeling Houston Astros on Friday night at Minute Maid Park.Valencia turned a 3-2 deficit into a one-run lead with his one-out shot to left field off Houston right-hander Pat Neshek (3-6), his 15th home run, to continue his torturing of the Astros (77-71) this season.

The Astros won their second in a row following a five-game skid that knocked them out of first place in the AL West. The win moved them within 1 1/2 games of Texas for first place, and they hold a 2½-game edge over the Angels for the second wild-card spot.

“Well, we’re home, right?” “That’s the way it works”.

Duffy is the 11th former UVM player to reach the big leagues and the first since pitcher Kirk McCaskill, who wrapped up his 11-year career with the Chicago White Sox in 1995, according to the Vermont Baseball Coaches Association.

Astros right fielder George Springer, center, and his teammates…

Good idea, Jennifer. Home runs for everyone! “He really can lock in on a ball and drive it out of the ballpark”. “I told him before the series that I was proud of him for sticking it out”.

McHugh settled in for the long haul, quieting an A’s offense that had tagged Houston for 31 runs in their previous five matchups. Billy Butler tried to score on the hit and was thrown out at the plate.

Tuesday Hector Santiago vs. Lance McCullers: What initially looked like a breakout season for Santiago has had the shine rubbed off by his tumble in the second half with just four quality starts in 12 turns while giving up 6.1 runs per nine; his average fastball velocity has also sank below 90 mph in that time, which is crucial for a guy who basically lives and dies with fastball location and changing speeds. “Your pitch count is kind of irrelevant right now”.

The Astros couldn’t do anything after building the early lead. Springer to second. Gattis popped out to catcher Blair.

But Springer finally displayed the power that had been missing since his return from that wrist injury, which kept him out for two months. “Just being in spring training with them was awesome”. “It gave us the lead and put a lot of belief that we remember how to win games”. Instead, Lowrie collected his second RBI of the game with a sac fly caught by Josh Reddick in foul territory. Rasmus added his 21st home run on the season in the eighth inning off left-hander Barry Zito, a two-run shot, and recorded his sixth career multi-homer game in the process. It was Zito’s first action in the Majors since 2013. “Was able to do that and it felt good”. “Anytime you can help your team out when it’s getting to the nitty gritty this time of year, it’s extra important”.

“Usually you’re a little jumpy and antsy wanting to hit when you get up there for your first time up”.

Astros get back on track behind Colby Rasmus’s two homeruns and win the season series against the A’s.

“This is why we do this”, Hinch said.

Mike Fiers was traded to the Astros as part of the deal that brought Carlos Gomez to Houston from the Milwaukee Brewers.