A’s top Astros, take over AL wild-card lead

AMERICAN LEAGUE ATHLETICS 3, ASTROS 2

HOUSTON — Matt Olson hit a two-run homer to back a solid start by Homer Bailey and the Oakland Athletics beat the Houston Astros 3-2 to take over the AL wild-card lead.

Oakland shook off a 15-0 loss in the opener of this fourgame series to win three in a row, beating Cy Young Award front-runner Justin Verlander in the finale.

The A’s moved a half-game ahead of Tampa Bay atop the AL wild-card standings. Cleveland is one game behind Oakland.

The Athletics got Verlander (18-6) for three runs in the first three innings before he settled in to pitch three scoreless frames.

Bailey (13-8) yielded three hits and one run in 51/ innings 3 to win his fourth straight decision. He matched his career high in wins set in 2012 with Cincinnati.

It was a much better outing than in his first start against Houston this season when the Astros jumped on him for eight hits and nine runs — both season highs — in just two innings of an 11-1 loss on July 22.

The Astros missed opportunities in both the eighth and ninth innings to tie it or take the lead on a night they went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position.

Jose Altuve’s solo home run off Yusmeiro Petit got Houston within a run with one out in the eighth inning. The Astros loaded the bases with two outs but Blake Treinen struck out rookie Kyle Tucker to leave everyone stranded.

Houston had runners on first and third with two outs in the ninth, but Liam Hendriks struck out Michael Brantley for his 21st save.