Yordan Álvarez hits 3-run homer as Astros beat A's again

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Yordan Álvarez hit a three-run homer and Houston kept thriving through all the boos, slugging its way to a third straight win in a 9-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Saturday.

Houston has outscored Oakland 26-7 in three games against the defending AL West champion A's, who were eliminated by the Astros in a four-game AL Divsion Series last fall.

Lance McCullers Jr. (1-0) did his part, too. The Houston right-hander struck out seven and walked three in five innings, allowing two hits and one run.

Kyle Tucker hit an RBI single in the first to stake Houston to a quick lead. The A's evened it on Mitch Moreland's sharp single up the middle in the bottom half.

José Altuve hit a go-ahead single in the top of the second to help back McCullers.

McCullers' pitch count rose fast and he threw 95 pitches after going to 3-0 counts with three of his first four batters faced. Brooks Raley earned a five-out save.

The A's missed a big chance when Chad Pinder flied out to the warning track with the bases loaded to end the eighth.

Lefty Cole Irvin (0-1) allowed four runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 inning in his A’s debut after pitching the past two seasons for the Phillies.

New A's shortstop Elvis Andrus came up pumping his right fist in delight after making a nifty diving stop of Martin Maldonado's sharp grounder in the fourth inning.

SUPPORTIVE SKIPPER

Dusty Baker hit up a nearby favorite Mexican restaurant in East Oakland a day after burritos were delivered to the clubhouse. This time, the thoughtful Astros manager secured some traditional Mexican stew called pozole for Sunday starter José Urquidy, a native of Mazatlan, Mexico.

“So he'll be strong tomorrow,” Baker said.

CLEVER INTROS

The A's played Carrie Underwood's song “Before He Cheats”...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Yordan-lvarez-hits-3-run-homer-as-Astros-beat-16075211.php