Ronel Blanco Nearly Blanks the A’s. Astros Over As 5-2 to Take Three Game Series

A’s double-error leads to four unearned Astros runs

Ronel Blanco returned to the mound today after a 10-game suspension as if he had never left, allowing only one run in seven innings. That, and a big assist from the As’ defense, gave the Astros a 5-2 win, taking the series in Oakland.

However, the Astros’ hitting drought, especially with runners in scoring position, continued into this rubber match. Although the Astros were 4-10 with runners in scoring position, only one of those four resulted in RBIs, and the Astros stranded ten runners. Only one of the Astros’ runs were earned.

In the second inning, the Astros stranded a runner on second with no outs, after leading off the inning with two singles.

In the third inning, Yordan Alvarez loaded the bases with an infield single with two outs, but Alex Bregman stranded the runners with a strikeout.

However, the Astros broke through with a vengeance in the fourth inning off As starter Aaron Brooks with the help of a little small ball and characteristically sloppy A’s defense.

Jon Singleton doubled with one out and took third on a Jake Meyers bunt single. Yainer Diaz plated Singleton with a long sac fly to center.

The A’s then gifted the Astros four more (unearned) runs thanks to an egregious double-error by shortstop Max Schuemann, who, with two outs, bobbled an easy grounder and then tossed the fielder’s choice attempt into right field.

An Altuve single scored Mauricio Dubon from third and Meyers from second, and then Kyle Tucker homered home Altuve with his league-leading 18th homer.

The Astros returned to their former leave-em-stranded ways in the fifth, with Diaz grounding into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded, the As’ third of the game.

Diaz failed similarly in the seventh inning, stranding the bases loaded with a flyout to center off Aussie Jack O’Loughlin, making his major league debut.

Meanwhile, Astros starter Ronel Blanco, back from a 10-game suspension, had one of the best performances of his All-Star-quality season. He was scoreless through five innings, almost never behind in the count, and did not walk a batter until the seventh inning. Blanco ended the game with seven innings pitched, six strikeouts, only one walk, and four hits. He had 71 strikes out of 104 total pitches. The only run allowed was a sixth-inning homer by Schuemann.

In the eighth inning, reliever Bryan Abreu had trouble finding the strike zone, but this time, it was the Astros who benefited from the double play ball, getting J.J. Bleday to end the inning with runners on first and second.

In the ninth, Josh Hader surrendered a homer to Shea Langeliers to narrow the score to 5-2, where it remained.

Framber Valdez and the Astros take on the Seattle Mariners in Seattle for an 8:40 Memorial Day showdown. With a sweep of the four-game set the Astros could take first place in the AL West.

Box Score HERE.