Houston, TX (SportsNetwork.com) – Kendall Graveman picked up his first major
league win after getting shelled in his first start, throwing 5 1/3 innings to
help the Oakland Athletics shut out the Houston Astros 4-0 on Tuesday.
Graveman (1-1) gave up seven earned runs in just 3 1/3 innings last Thursday
in a 10-1 loss to Texas. The 24-year-old right-hander yielded four hits and
four walks with three strikeouts against the Astros and combined with four
other pitchers on the shutout.
Sam Fuld had two doubles and scored a run and Josh Reddick added two hits and
an RBI for the A’s, who won the opener of the three-game series 8-1 on Monday
after losing consecutive games in extra innings to Seattle.
Houston had eight hits — all singles — and drew four walks but went 0-for-7
with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 men on base.
Brad Peacock (0-1) came off the disabled list to pitch five-plus innings for
the Astros, giving up three runs, five hits and two walks. He was activated
before the game after having right hip surgery in October. Three Houston
relievers combined to allow just two more hits.
“Our pitching held us in the game,” said Astros manager A.J. Hinch. “(The A’s)
did a pretty good job of getting a run and then tacking on a couple.”
Fuld led off the game with a double, went to third on Mark Canha’s groundout
and scored the only run Oakland needed on Ben Zobrist’s sacrifice fly.
Zobrist drew a leadoff walk in the sixth inning and beat the throw home on
Billy Butler’s double, chasing Peacock. Stephen Vogt then hit an RBI single
off Joe Thatcher to give Oakland a 3-0 lead
After Brett Lawrie was hit by a two-out pitch in the ninth inning, he stole
second base and scored on Reddick’s single for the 4-0 margin.
Among Houston’s missed opportunities was one in the first inning, when George
Springer and Jed Lowrie reached base before Graveman escaped with a double
play.
Jason Castro and Colby Rasmus drew two-out walks in the second inning and were
also left on base.
Later, Jake Marisnick hit a one-out single in the ninth before Tyler Clippard
got fly balls from Jose Altuve and Springer to end the game.
Game Notes
Luis Valbuena led Houston with two hits … Graveman threw 57 of his 96
pitches for strikes … The Astros optioned pitcher Asher Wojciechowski to
Triple-A Fresno to make room for Peacock on the roster.
