Alex Bregman homers twice, drives in 4 runs as Astros pound Athletics 9-2
HOUSTON (AP) — Alex Bregman homered twice and had a season-high four RBIs to lead the Houston Astros to a 9-2 win over the Oakland Athletics on Monday night.
Bregman homered off Oakland starter Ross Stripling (1-7) in the fourth inning, reminiscent of the homer he hit off Stripling in the 2018 All-Star Game. Bregman homered again in the seventh off Mitch Spence. Bregman entered Monday with just one homer in 144 at-bats this season but caught fire and had his sixth career multihomer game.
Bregman later added a double in the eighth that scored Trey Cabbage and Jeremy Peña to put Houston up 7-2. He entered Monday hitting .167 in May and .201 on the season.
The Astros have now won four of their last five, including a series win in Detroit. Oakland has lost four of five.
Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti (1-4) allowed two runs on five hits in five innings, while striking out five. Arrighetti has now pitched at least five innings in three straight starts after failing to get out of the fifth in his first three career starts.
The Astros went up 2-0 in the third inning after Kyle Tucker doubled to score José Altuve, who had reached base with two outs after Stripling hit him in the back of the thigh with an 0-2 sinker.
Altuve added an RBI single in the seventh to put Houston up 5-2. Victor Caratini followed Bregman’s eighth inning double with a two-run double of his own to make it 9-2.
Houston scored in the second inning when Oakland first baseman Tyler Soderstrom made a throwing error to third base that allowed Peña to score.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: RHP Paul Blackburn (stress reaction in right foot) was placed on the injured list on Monday, and Oakland recalled LHP Easton Lucas for his second stint with the club this year.
Astros: RHP José Urquidy, who hasn’t pitched this season because of an elbow injury, made his first rehab start at Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday, throwing 2 2/3 innings and 46 pitches. … OF Chas McCormick (right hamstring discomfort) also made a rehab start at DH, going 2-for-5 with a double.
UP NEXT
RHP JP Sears (3-2, 4.20 ERA) will start the second game of the series for the Athletics against Houston on Tuesday night. Sears is 1-1 with a 4.79 ERA in four career appearances, including three starts, against Houston. RHP Ronel Blanco (4-0, 3.64) faces Oakland for the first time of his career.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb