OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Rookie J.P. France struck out five while pitching into the eighth inning for the first time this season to win his third straight decision, Kyle Tucker hit a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth, and the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 3-1 on Thursday night.
Alex Bregman homered in the ninth to help secure the win for France (5-3). The right-hander has a 2.05 ERA over the first eight road starts of his career, which is lowest in the majors by a starting pitcher with a minimum of 40 innings. France walked one and allowed one run on six hits for the Astros, starting the final series of a nine-game trip.
Houston's rally started with a pair of two-out singles by Mauricio Dubón and Jeremy Peña off A's starter Hogan Harris (2-4), who struck out six over six innings without walking a batter.
Tucker came through to extend his road hitting streak to 17 games, dating to June 11.
Bryan Abreu struck out two in a scoreless eighth, then Ryan Pressly pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to finish the 2-hour, 12-minute game for his 22nd save and No. 99 of his career.
Seth Brown hit an RBI double in the first for the A's on a night they drew just 4,757.
The defending World Series champion Astros are 7-0 this season against the last-place A's, playing the third of four sets between the AL West foes in 2023.
SPECIAL MEAL
A’s visiting clubhouse manager Mikey Thalblum hustled outside to the food trucks more than an hour before first pitch “to surprise Dusty” with some catfish.
“Dusty’s special, but if another manager has a request, we’re on it," Thalblum said of Astros manager Dusty Baker. "We get it.”
TRAINER'S ROOM
Astros: José Altuve did baseball activities as he works back from a strained left oblique that landed him on the injured list July 4. “He's improving rapidly,” Baker said. ... José Urquidy, sidelined by discomfort in his throwing shoulder, made a three-inning start for Triple-A Sugar Land on Wednesday and will pitch at least once more. ... LF Yordan Alvarez is set to play again for Sugar Land on Friday in left in his recovery from a sore right oblique.
Athletics: The A's placed 1B Ryan Noda on the 10-day injured list retroactive to July 19 with a fractured jaw and recalled INF Jonah Bride from Triple-A Las Vegas. Noda's injury will take about three weeks to heal. He is able to do most baseball activity in the meantime, including light hitting without the risk of getting hit in the face. ... OF Ramón Laureano (fractured right hand) played for the second time in a five-game rehab assignment with Triple-A Las Vegas. ... RHP James Kaprielian (shoulder) 35-pitch bullpen Saturday and RHP Mason Miller (forearm tightness) will throw 20 pitches, all fastballs.
UP NEXT
LHP Framber Valdez (7-6, 2.76 ERA) is set to return from a calf injury to start Friday night for Houston. Valdez left Saturday’s start at the Los Angeles Angels in the seventh inning. The A's will counter with fellow southpaw JP Sears (1-6, 3.99).
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