Athletics at Astros
The Oakland Athletics hope they have turned around their fortunes in the season series after posting a dramatic victory as they visit the American League West-leading Houston Astros on Wednesday afternoon for the rubber match of their three-game set. Matt Olson’s three-run homer in the ninth inning tied Tuesday's contest and Ramon Laureano’s RBI double in the 11th pushed across the winning run as Oakland recorded a 4-3 triumph - just its second in 10 meetings with the Astros in 2019.
Laureano is 25-for-61 with seven homers and 14 RBIs in 17 contests this month for the Athletics, who occupy the second wild-card spot in the AL and are 6 1/2 games behind Houston in the AL West after winning for the 15th time in 20 contests. Chris Bassitt goes after his third straight victory when he takes the mound for Oakland in the series finale while former AL MVP Justin Verlander vies for his 13th victory as he gets the call for the Astros, who saw their six-game winning streak end on Tuesday. Yuli Gurriel is riding a 12-game hitting streak during which he is 21-for-49 with six homers and 15 RBIs while Jose Altuve is 18-for-45 with 10 RBIs in his last 10 contests. The Astros dropped to 37-15 at home with the loss after their bullpen gave up two runs on four hits and a walk over three innings.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Oakland), AT&T SportsNet-Southwest (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Chris Bassitt (7-4, 3.96 ERA) vs. Astros RH Justin Verlander (12-4, 2.99)
Bassitt has won his last two starts, blanking the Chicago White Sox over six innings on July 13 before holding Minnesota to three runs - two earned - across five frames on Friday. The 30-year-old native of Ohio has given up three runs or fewer in seven of his last nine outings and won four of his last five decisions. Alex Bregman (3-for-6) and Gurriel (3-for-5, three RBIs) have had success versus Bassitt, who permitted three runs and six hits in a no-decision against Houston on June 2.
Verlander has won a pair of outings versus Texas since starting for the AL in the All-Star Game, yielding four runs and 12 hits with 19 strikeouts over 12 innings. The 36-year-old Virginian registered 12 strikeouts in six frames against the Rangers on Friday and has fanned 172 batters over 138 2/3 frames this season. Khris Davis is 6-for-14 with four homers against Verlander, who limited the Athletics to one run on four hits and a pair of walks over eight innings in a win on June 1.
WALK-OFFS
1. Altuve is batting .331 with 13 homers and 55 RBIs in 117 career games against the Athletics.
2. Oakland recalled RHP Tanner Anderson from Triple-A Las Vegas and optioned OF Nick Martini to the Aviators.
3. The Astros placed Josh James (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list and recalled fellow RHP Cy Sneed from Triple-A Round Rock.