Gattis, Gomez, Correa Help Astros Sweep Athletics
HOUSTON (AP) — Evan Gattis homered for the third straight game, Carlos Gomez connected for the first time this season and Carlos Correa delivered a tiebreaking double in the seventh inning, helping the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 5-2 Sunday for a three-game sweep.
The Astros have won eight of nine.
Lance McCullers (3-1) allowed eight hits and two runs while striking out nine in seven innings to win his third straight decision. Will Harris threw a perfect ninth for his first save, a day after closer Luke Gregerson blew his second straight save chance.
It was 2-all in the seventh when George Springer walked and moved up on an errant pickoff throw by Ryan Dull (1-1). Correa, who drove in the game-winning run in the 12th Saturday, grounded a double to left with two outs.
Houston added a pair of runs in the eighth inning, with one coming when Jake Marisnick scored and Colby Rasmus reached on an a rather embarrassing error by pitcher Marc Rzepczynski.
The reliever fielded a grounder right in front of the plate by Rasmus before dropping the ball, picking it up and then tumbling to the ground as he tried to decide where to throw it.
Oakland starter Sonny Gray yielded five hits and one run in five innings after being activated from the disabled list on Sunday.
The Athletics scored two runs in the first on a single by Yonder Alonso, but couldn't come up with hits in key situations after that and went 3 for 13 with runners in scoring position.
Oakland was up 2-0 when Gomez, who also doubled, sent his two-strike solo shot to the seats in left field in the fifth. It was his first regular-season homer since last Sept. 11.
Gomez, who has been mired in a season-long slump, is hitting just .191 this season and was 0 for 7 before the homer.
Gattis tied it when he connected in the sixth. He has four homers and nine RBIs in his last five games.
Gray, who was scheduled to make a rehabilitation start for Single-A Stockton on Saturday before Rich Hill was scratched, has been on the DL since May 20 with a strained right trapezius.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Athletics: Hill, who missed Saturday's start with a groin strain, will also miss his next start. He is expected to return sometime in the series against Cincinnati, which starts Friday, but manager Bob Melvin isn't sure which game it will be.
UP NEXT
Athletics: The A's are off on Monday before Sean Manaea (2-3, 6.16 ERA) starts in the opener of a series against Milwaukee on Tuesday. Manaea allowed five hits and one run in six innings of a 5-1 win over Minnesota in his last start.
Astros: Mike Fiers (3-3, 4.84) will pitch the opener of a four-game series at Texas on Monday. Fiers has lost two straight decisions after winning his previous three. He will try to get Houston its first win over the Rangers this season after Texas won the first seven games.
