The unofficial first half of the regular season has been a nightmare at times for the Oakland A’s. But at least they can say it ended on a positive note.
Stephen Vogt’s RBI single in the eighth inning proved to be the game-winning hit as the A’s came back to beat the Houston Astros 4-3 on Sunday to win their first series at Minute Maid Park in over 15 months.
Vogt’s single down the right field line off Astros reliever Rafael Montero scored Chad Pinder from second base to put the A’s up by one. Relievers Zach Jackson and Lou Trivino both pitched one scoreless inning from there, as Oakland closed the six-game road trip with a 3-3 record.
The A’s now head into the All-Star break with an American League-worst record of 32-61, although they have been playing better this month, and now have a 7-8 record in July.
With the A’s down by three, Ramón Laureano hit his ninth home run of the season as part of a three-run sixth inning that also included an RBI double by Pinder and a sacrifice fly by Vogt that scored Seth Brown from third base to tie the game. Pinder went 3-for-4 in the game.
The A’s hadn’t won a series over the Astros in Houston since April 8-10, 2021, when they won two of three. Oakland had a 2-6 record against the Astros this season, with the first two three-game series at the Coliseum.
Adam Oller, who was born in nearby Conroe, Texas, had a solid outing until the fifth. With one out, shortstop Elvis Andrus couldn’t cleanly field what was ruled an infield single by Jose Altuve, and ensuing batter Jeremy Pena swatted a two-run homer to left-center to give the Astros a 3-0 lead.
Oller was officially recalled Sunday morning after the A’s optioned left-hander Jared Koenig to Triple-A Las Vegas. Koenig took the loss Saturday as he allowed five earned runs over seven, although most of the damage came in a four-run fourth inning for the Astros, who won 5-0.
Sunday’s game marked Oller’s first start since May 14 when he pitched the second game of an A’s doubleheader against the Los Angeles Angels.
The final game of the three-game series with the Astros was James Kaprielian’s turn in the rotation, but A’s manager Mark Kotsay said before the game that the team wanted to give Kaprielian a few extra days rest before he makes his next start after the all-star break.
Oller made five relief appearances for the A’s in June, allowing eight hits and seven walks in 8⅓ innings before he was optioned back to Las Vegas on June 30. The A’s wanted him to work on his fastball command, and in 8 ⅔ innings over two starts with Las Vegas, he allowed just two walks.
Oller allowed a first-inning solo home run by Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker on a four-seam fastball but got through the next three innings before he ran into trouble in the fifth.
MONTAS UPDATE: Right-hander Frankie Montas felt good after his bullpen session Saturday and has “an opportunity” to start Thursday when the A’s begin the post-All-Star break schedule with a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers at the Coliseum, manager Mark Kotsay said.
Montas hasn’t pitched in two weeks as he’s dealt with inflammation in his right shoulder. He exited a July 3 start against the Seattle Mariners after just one inning and two days later, an MRI revealed the inflammation. Montas had a cortisone shot on July 6, and since that point, he and the A’s have been cautious about when he would make his next start.
Kotsay said along with those first two games against the Tigers, he still has to set his rotation for the second half of the season.
While the A’s might be open to dealing other players prior to the Aug. 2 deadline, Montas is easily one of the team’s biggest trade chips.
Prior to his July 3 start, Montas was 3-8 with a 3.20 ERA and was among the American League leaders in games started (16), innings pitched (95.2), strikeouts (99), and opponents’ on-base percentage (.272).
If Montas starts Thursday, he could get into another game before the end of the month.
BRIDE UPDATE: Kotsay said infielder Jonah Bride, on the injured list since June 27 with a strained right shoulder, will be the designated hitter Sunday for Triple-A Las Vegas as he continues his rehab assignment. Bride will work out in Oakland on Thursday and the A’s will decide then whether to send him back to the Aviators or activate him off the IL.
JIMENEZ UPDATE: Kotsay said reliever Dany Jiménez, on the IL since June 19 with a strained right shoulder, will throw a bullpen session at the A’s spring training facility in Arizona on Wednesday, and will begin a rehab assignment when he’s physically ready.
