Athletics drop series finale 5-2 to Houston

Shea-bomb not enough in the ninth

The Oakland Athletics wrapped up a three-game set today against the Houston Astros this Memorial Day weekend at the Oakland Coliseum. Righty Aaron Brooks, 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA, took the mound for the A’s today, facing 30-year-old Ronel Blanco, making his first start after completing his ten-day suspension for being caught with an illegal substance on his glove.

Both hurlers cruised through the first facing the minimum, and then the second and third innings with minimum effort. The score was tied 0-0 through four innings.

With one out in the top of the fourth, Jon Singleton doubled down the right field line. Jake Meyers dropped a perfect bunt down the third base line, moving Singleton to third and legging it out for a base hit. Astros backstop Yainer Diaz drove Singleton home with a sacrifice fly. Maurice Dubón reached on an error by Max Schuemann. Jose Altuve singled driving in Meyers and Dubón. Kyle Tucker homered to deep right field scoring Altuve along with him.

Blanco shut down the A’s in the bottom of the fourth. In the top of the fifth, with runners on first and second and one out, A’s skipper Mark Kotsay pulled Brooks and brought in Tyler Ferguson. Jake Meyers walked to load the bases, but Yainer Diaz grounded into an inning ending 6-4-3 double play.

Ferguson threw a 1-2-3 sixth inning, striking out the first two batters of the inning. Max Schuemann homered out of the ninth slot in the lineup to make the score 5-1. Abraham Toro followed with a base hit to left field. A Bleday double play ball shut down the rally, and then a ground out to first ended the inning.

Jack O’Loughlin replaced Ferguson in the top of the seventh. It was the 24-year-old Aussie’s major league debut. Bregman and Peña greeted him with base hits after an Alvarez pop out. He struck out Singleton, but then walked Meyers to load the bases. A Diaz flyout shut down the inning for O’Loughlin. He had to work for it but held the Astros scoreless. But he breezed through the eighth, 1-2-3.

Bryan Abreu replaced Blanco in the bottom of the eighth. Gelof greeted him with a walk. But a 4-6-3 double play ended the inning. O’Loughlin continued his mastery in the top of the ninth with another hitless inning. He threw three scoreless innings in his major league debut.

Astros manager Joe Espada decided to go with his closer Josh Hader, despite it not being a save situation. Shea Langeliers homered to bring the score to 5-2 with one down in the ninth. But that was all the A’s could muster.

No baseball on Memorial Day for the A’s this year. They’ll open their next series against Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg on Tuesday.