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A20 SPORTS
Monday 8 april 2019
Astros top A's 9-8 on Altuve's bases-loaded walk in 9th

HOUSTON (AP) — The Astros Chirinos. Bregman's tying sacrifice
are a deep, veteran team, Kemp walked to load the fly.
making it tough for bench bases before Treinen struck "We're a hard lineup to
players like Tony Kemp and out George Springer. Al- crack when we're fully
Aledmys Diaz to get onto tuve never saw a strike, healthy, but contributions
the field. forcing home the winning can come from anywhere,"
That pair was ready Sun- run. manager AJ Hinch said.
day, sparking Houston to a Treinen said he struggled "From an individual stand-
comeback win. with command of his hard, point, these guys keep
A little wild work from Oak- sinking fastball in the ninth, working and keep waiting
land's most-feared reliever especially with Altuve. for their name to be in the
helped, too. "I didn't really give myself lineup. From a team stand-
Jose Altuve drew a four- much of a chance to be point, it makes us a more
pitch walk from Athletics successful at that at-bat," complete offense when
closer Blake Treinen with he said. our entire team is putting
the bases loaded and two Roberto Osuna (1-0) struck up good at-bats."
outs in the bottom of the out one in a perfect ninth. Kemp said individual work
ninth inning, giving the As- The Astros scored five runs helps keep him ready
tros a 9-8 win and a three- in the first but trailed 8-6 go- when he has a chance to
game sweep of their AL ing into the eighth. Kemp contribute.
West rival. Houston Astros' Jose Altuve reacts after drawing a walk with the homered off Lou Trivino, "A couple of us, we know
Josh Reddick walked and bases loaded to win the game during the ninth inning of a base- Springer followed with a our role," he said. "We
Diaz singled off Treinen (0- ball game against the Oakland Athletics, Sunday, April 7, 2019, flyball that dropped in shal- know we're not going to
1) to begin the ninth. Red- in Houston. low right field for a double be in there every day but
dick was thrown out at Associated Press and Treinen relieved. A we know when our name's
third on a bunt by Robinson single by Altuve set up Alex called it's important that
we're ready to go. A lot of it
has to do with preparation
and a lot of it has to do with
the time in the cage."
Oakland trailed by a run
with one on and one out
in the sixth when Josh
Phegley connected on his
first home run of the sea-
son off rookie Josh James,
which bounced off the wall
above the seats in left field
to make it 7-6.
Chad Pinder, who drove in
two runs in the first with a
double, homered off Hec-
tor Rondon to start the A's
eighth for an 8-6 lead.
Robbie Grossman homered
with three RBIs and finished
a triple shy of the cycle as
the Athletics lost for the
fourth time in five games.
The Athletics got a rough
start from Mike Fiers, who
allowed seven hits and six
runs without getting out
of the second inning. He
entered the game having
pitched 12 straight score-
less innings.
Houston starter Brad Pea-
cock also struggled early,
allowing four runs in the first
two innings before settling
in and giving up just one
more run in the next three.
Diaz got his first hit as an As-
tro with a three-run homer
in the first and drove in a
fourth run with a bases-
loaded walk. The Athletics
took a 2-0 lead in the first
when Pinder got a two-run
double that hit roof before
landing in left field.q