The Houston Astros took care of the Athletics in a 5-3 shootout at Daikin Park Wednesday afternoon.
Lance McCullers Jr. started on the mound for the fifth time this year. He pitched for 6.0 innings, finishing with 12 strikeouts. He allowed five hits, three earned runs and a walk to notch his first quality start of the 2025 campaign.
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The A’s got the scoring underway in the top of the third inning, when Jacob Wilson and Brent Rooker doubled on back-to-back plate appearances to bring home two runs. The Astros tied things up over the next two innings, as an Isaac Paredes sacrifice fly plated one in the third inning and a Cam Smith single brought in a run in the fourth.
The Athletics quickly retook the lead with a solo home run by Wilson in the top of the fifth.
The 3-2 score would remain until the bottom of the seventh, when Houston’s Zach Dezenzo tied the game with a solo homer of his own. Later in the inning, Victor Caratini singled to center field to bring home both Paredes and Jeremy Pena.
The 5-3 score would hold, and closer Josh Hader kept the A’s from rallying in the ninth inning to secure the win.
The victory moves Houston to 30-25 on the season. Tomorrow, the Astros will host Tampa Bay for the first matchup of a four-game series. First pitch is slated for 7:10 p.m.
