A warm welcome home
Yuba City’s Stassi launches homer as Astros sweep A’s
OAKLAND – The Athletics will bring along a significant batting slump as they embark on what may be their most challenging road trip of the season.
The Houston Astros beat the A’s 4-1 Wednesday at the Coliseum for a three-game series sweep before a crowd of 18,044. It completed a 3-3 homestand for the Athletics.
Houston, being blanked by A’s starter Daniel Mengden through six innings, got a two-out solo home run from Yuba City’s Max Stassi in the seventh, followed by a titanic second-deck blast to center field for another home run by Derek Fisher.
Stassi’s home run travled 414 feet to right-center and was his third of the season.
After hitting two doubles and driving in a pair of runs in a 16-2 blowout of the A’s on Monday night and going 2 for 4 in Wednesday’s win, Stassi has lifted his batting average to .273. He’s hit four doubles and has nine RBIS in 55 at-bats so far this year in his first full season in the majors.
Stassi was selected by the A’s in the fourth round of the 2009 MLB Draft and was traded to the Astros in 2013.
Jed Lowrie’s RBI double in the sixth inning got home the Athletics’ lone run against starter and winner Gerrit Cole (4-1). In the last five games, the A’s have scored nine runs and have 26 runs in their last 11 games. Cole and relievers Joe Smith, Will Harris and Ken Giles combined to hold the Athletics to four hits.
The Astros added to their lead in the eighth with a two-run double by Yuli Gurriel against Yusmeiro Petit.
The A’s scored just five runs in the series, have 26 runs in their last 11 games and are batting .196 (70-for-358) dating back to April 28.
Cole and Astros pitchers had something to do with Wednesday’s output.
“Their guy today, he’s throwing 98 up in the zone, getting it called all day,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “It’s tough to chase them up there, and when he’s getting strikes it’s doubly tough.
Bay Area News Group (TNS) The Houston Astros’ Max Stassi scores after hitting a solo home run that traveled 414 feet to right-center field. It was Stassi’s third home run of the season.
Four-pitch guy, throws 98 miles an hour, a pretty good rotation.”
Following a travel day, the Athletics have three games against the Yankees in New York, followed by three games in Boston and four in Toronto.
Melvin did not name a starter
Friday night to oppose the Yankees and former Athletics pitcher Sonny Gray. Trevor Cahill, who was scheduled to start the game, will miss at least one start with an elbow impingement while on the 10-day disabled list.