OAKLAND (AP) – Hunter Brown struck out a career-high 10 in seven innings and retired 16 consecutive batters as the Houston Astros beat the Athletics 5-2 in Oakland on Friday night.
Corey Jules drove in three runs for Houston, who rebounded from being shutout in the previous two games.
The A’s (10–43) have their worst record through 53 games in a season since 1901. The 1932 Red Sox won their 53rd game to go 11–42 and lost their next eight and 13 of 14.
The Astros went scoreless in back-to-back games in Milwaukee after an eight-game winning streak. After Esteri Ruiz led off the first inning for the A’s, the Browns (5-1) did not allow another batter to reach base until Nick Allen allowed a walk in the sixth.
Jose Altuve of Venezuela returned to the lineup after missing Tuesday’s game against Milwaukee due to feeling ill. He played in his fifth game since spending the beginning of the season on the disabled list with a fracture in the thumb of his right hand.
After Hector Nerris took two wickets in the eighth inning, Ryan Pressley earned the ninth for his ninth save in as many attempts.
The loss went to James Kaprelyan (0-5).
Venezuelan Altuve drove in a single for the Astros, 5–2. Honduran Mauricio Dubon 4-0. Cubans Jordan Alvarez scored a run to make it 2–0, Jose Abreu to make it 4–0. Puerto Rican Martin Maldonado 4-0.
For the Athletics, Dominic Ruiz 4-1, Ramon Laureano 4-0. Venezuela Carlos Perez 4-0. Cuban Aledmis Diaz of 3-1.
