Athletics Rally to Snap Skid

The Athletics snapped a five-game losing streak with a 4-3 comeback win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night at Daikin Park, using a three-run eighth inning to erase a 3-1 deficit. Donovan Walton homered and Tommy White had three hits as the A's rallied after trailing for most of the game.

The decisive inning saw the A's score on a wild pitch by Bennett Sousa, who took the loss and fell to 1-2. Lawrence Butler then singled to tie the game at 3-3, and White doubled before Butler scored on a groundout by Jonah Heim to put the Athletics ahead. Elvis Alvarado pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save.

The win came after the Athletics were swept by the Royals and lost Game 1 of the series to the Astros on Friday, making the turnaround a welcome result for a team that had struggled since the All-Star break.

Peña Returns to Leadoff Spot

JEREMY Peña was back in the lineup for Game 2, batting leadoff and playing shortstop. He had been absent from Friday's lineup after being hit in the hand by a 100 mph pitch, an injury that forced him to sit out the series opener. Peña's return was confirmed in the Astros' official lineup announcement, which also included Yordan Alvarez in the No. 2 spot, Isaac Paredes hitting third, and Jose Altuve in the cleanup role.

Peña had contributed the run-scoring single in the seventh that extended the Astros' lead to 3-1, part of a night that saw him play a key role despite his recent struggles at the plate. He entered the month with a .537 OPS in August, a cold spell that the Astros are hoping he can snap.

The Astros' lineup also featured Christian Walker, who snapped a 0-for-17 skid with hits in the sixth and eighth innings on Friday, and Daulton Varsho, who delivered the go-ahead homer in the seventh off Luis Medina. Varsho, who has had a tough season since joining Houston, hit a solo shot to put the Astros ahead in the seventh, and Peña's two-out RBI single extended the lead to 3-1.

Starting Pitching Duel

HOUSTON starter Hunter Brown allowed seven hits and one run in 5 2/3 innings, but his outing was not without controversy. In the sixth inning, with runners on first and second and two outs, Astros manager Joe Espada pointed toward right field as he ran out of the dugout. He apparently wanted a timeout to talk to Brown and leave him in the game, but umpires interpreted it differently and forced him to pull Brown. Espada argued with the umpires before play resumed, and AJ Blubaugh came in to retire Jonah Heim.

Brown was coming off a weak start against the Mariners, in which he allowed eight baserunners, including five walks, over five innings. His season has featured a notable shift in his peripherals: his strikeout rate has dropped from 28.3% last year to 24.7% this season, while his walk rate has spiked from 7.8% to 13.8%.

On the other side, Athletics left-hander Jacob Lopez was sharp, striking out nine and allowing one run on three hits over six innings. Lopez entered the game with a 5.22 ERA on the season, but he has been excellent of late, giving up two runs or fewer in each of his last seven starts. Over that span, he has a 2.36 ERA in 34 1/3 innings, with a 1.03 WHIP and a team-leading 47 strikeouts since the All-Star break. His performance Saturday, on a 91-pitch outing, continued that trend.

Turning Points

The game opened with Walton's solo homer in the third inning, putting the Athletics up 1-0. Houston tied it in the fourth on Yainer Diaz's RBI double with two outs. The Astros took the lead in the seventh on Varsho's homer off Medina, and Peña's single made it 3-1 before the Athletics' eighth-inning rally.

Luis Medina took the loss for the Astros, falling to 5-3, while Elvis Alvarado earned the save with a 1.38 ERA over his last 15 games.

Up Next

The series concludes Sunday, with Houston's Cristian Javier (1-4, 6.44 ERA) scheduled to face Athletics left-hander Brady Basso (0-0, 3.91). Both teams will be looking to close out the series with a series win, with the Astros having taken the opener 4-0.