Altuve, Springer blast off
Jose Altuve,
HOUSTON — Jose Altuve and George Springer both hit two-run homers to back up another solid start by Justin Verlander and give the Astros a 4-2 win over the Athletics on Wednesday.
The Astros bounced back after Tuesday’s 4-3 loss in 11 innings snapped a six-game winning streak and improved to 9-2 against the Athletics this season.
Verlander (13-4) allowed two singles and one run, which was unearned, while striking out 11 in six innings for his third straight win. Will Harris pitched a scoreless seventh and Ryan Pressly allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth after not pitching since Thursday because of a sore knee.
Roberto Osuna allowed two hits and a run in the ninth before striking out Chris Herrmann for his 23rd save.
Athletics starter Chris Bassitt (7-5) yielded five hits and four runs in six innings for the loss after winning his previous two starts.
Bassitt was rolling early and retired the first seven batters he faced, striking out the first five, before Robinson Chirinos doubled with one out in the third. Springer’s two-strike home run came with two outs to put the Astros up 2-1. Springer has 23 home runs in 71 games this season after hitting 22 in 140 games last year.
Verlander had sat down nine straight when he walked Jurickson Profar with two outs in the fifth. Profar stole second base, but was left stranded when Verlander struck out Marcus Semien.
Bassitt plunked Chirinos on the hand to start the Astros’ fifth before Altuve homered to straightaway center field with two outs to extend the lead to 4-1.
Rays: Charlie Morton struck out 11 over seven innings as the Rays avoided a three-game sweep with a 3-2 victory over the Red Sox, who played the game under protest. Confusion reigned in the top of the eighth when a series of defensive changes involving reliever Adam Kolarek prompted Red Sox manager Alex Cora to protest the game due to the placement of subs into the Rays lineup after the designated hitter was removed. Umpire crew chief Angel Hernandez, through a pool reporter, said Rays manager Kevin Cash did not specify where Kolarek and the others would be placed in the lineup and that by rule it became his decision.
Indians: Shane Bieber pitched a one-hitter, allowing only a double by Eric Sogard in the seventh inning in a 4-0 win over the Blue Jays. The Indians are 30-12 since June 4, the best record in the majors over that span. Bieber (10-3) struck out 10 and walked one in his second career complete game.
Cubs: Tyler Chatwood replaced an ill Jon Lester and pitched four innings of one-run ball in a 4-1 win over the Giants. Javier Baez hit his 25th home run in the first, and Bryant hit a tworun homer in the third before leaving in the fifth because of right knee soreness . ... The team optioned INF Addison Russell to Triple-A Iowa, about two months after he completed a suspension for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy and activated AllStar C Willson Contreras from the 10-day injured list.
Brewers: Ryan Braun and Keston Hiura homered and Yasmani Grandal hit a go-ahead single in the fifth in a 5-4 win over the Reds. Josh Hader struck out five over two scoreless innings in relief as the Brewers avoided a three-game sweep.
Pirates: RHP Keone Kela returned from a twogame suspension for an unspecified violation of his contract. Yahoo Sports reported that Kela was suspended due to an altercation with Hector Morales, the team’s director of cultural readiness and peak performance coach. Asked specifically about that report, Kela said he “wouldn’t say it’s not true” but also “wouldn’t say it’s a fact.”
Phillies: Vince Velasquez allowed four hits and struck out nine in 5 2⁄3 innings in a 4-0 victory over the Tigers to complete a two-game sweep. All-Star OF Bryce Harper (rest) missed his first game of the season.
Extra innings: Yankees All-Star C Gary Sanchez landed on the injured list for the second time this season, a day after straining his left groin. Sanchez was hurt when he stepped on first base while grounding out in the eighth inning Tuesday night against the Twins . ... Rockies RHP Jon Gray was pulled with a left calf injury after four innings of the opener of a doubleheader against the Nationals. He walked five and allowed a run before leaving to be evaluated . ... Rangers All-Star slugger Joey Gallo was out of the lineup after leaving Tuesday’s game with a sore right wrist that’s bothered him for a while. X-rays were negative, but it was unclear if a stint on the injured list is needed.