A single decides it, but homers help

About the only way the A’s can hope to compete with the division-leading Astros, who consistently pummel Oakland, is to try to out-homer them.

And on Friday at the Coliseum, the A’s tried their darndest, getting four home runs, including a game-tying grand slam by Marcus Semien in the seventh and another gametying shot in the ninth, a solo homer by rookie Boog Powell leading off the inning.

In the end, though, it was just a base hit to left-center that decided it. Jed Lowrie sent in Semien from second in the ninth to give Oakland a 9-8 victory and a modest two-game winning streak in the wake of a season-high eight-game losing streak.

“It’s easy to deflate as an offense after giving up a run late, but we have guys who grind them out,” Lowrie said of the A’s late at-bats. “That’s the key.”

The A’s had to work hard to overcome their own ex-player: Josh Reddick, a key member of the 2012-14 Oakland playoff teams, whacked a two-run homer and two two-out RBI doubles — the second of which put Houston ahead 8-7 in the ninth. Reddick reached base five times.

Astros closer Ken Giles was unscored upon in his previous 10 outings, but Powell, who had one career homer, connected on an 0-2 pitch after two 98 mph fastballs. “I was just trying to get on base,” said the A’s No. 9 hitter. “I knew he had the heater, and I was trying to go the other way with it — but he threw me a slider right where I like it.”

“Guys are hitting .150 against him, lefties and righties,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said of Giles. “So in Powell’s case, you’re just hoping he gets on base and causes a little havoc. And the next thing you know, he hits a homer.”

The crowd chanted, “Boooog,” as he sprinted around the bases after tying it up. “That was one of the most amazing things in my career ... so far,” Powell said.

Semien then singled and Giles walked Matt Joyce to bring up Lowrie, a former Astros infielder, who was hitless in his previous seven at-bats.

Powell made a nice catch in the second, leaping at the fence for a drive by Marwin Gonzalez. Powell also helped to set up Semien’s slam: With two on and no outs, he zipped out of the box on a grounder to first and slid headfirst into the bag. First baseman Yuli Gurriel came off the bag to make the play, and the bases were loaded for Semien.

With 22 games still to play, the A’s have belted 201 homers, fifth most in franchise history; the record is 243 in 1996. Matt Chapman lifted a two-run shot to left off Collin McHugh in the second, and Joyce knocked a solo homer off McHugh the third.

Oakland starter Jharel Cotton had good reason to be a little distracted Friday. He’s from the Virgin Islands, and he said his father’s home on Tortola lost its roof and “everything’s gone.”

“It’s going to be on my mind, of course,” Cotton said. “Torotola is a disaster. The whole town is wiped out.”

The rookie starter went five innings and matched his career high by allowing seven runs. For the second start in a row, he gave up three homers, and he believes he’s tipping his pitches. “I feel like they knew what was coming,” Cotton said. “I’ve got to figure that out.”

Jose Altuve hit a two-run shot in the first. In the third, Reddick doubled in a run and scored on Gurriel’s blast. In the fifth, Reddick hit a two-run shot on a very high changeup. “It was at his face and somehow he got the bat on it,” Cotton said.

Cotton’s 27 homers allowed are the most by an A’s starter since A.J. Griffin gave up 36 in 32 starts in 2013. Cotton has made 22 starts. After Friday, his ERA is 5.82.

McHugh exited after three innings with a detached middle fingernail.