For the Astros lately. They've been playing very well against the good teams, the playoff teams not so well against the teams that are out of it. He has been the mainstay at the top of that rotation, doing a phenomenal job and kind of being the anchor of this rotation, Lawrence Butler at the top with a 19 game hitting streak, a swing and a bouncing ball weakly hit on the right side picked up by the first baseman Singleton flips it to valdez who drops it as Butler streak up the first baseline. He'll be aboard to get the game underway. Butler ran out from under his helmet as he got to first base and that would be an error charge to the first baseman Singleton on the toss. Now, Rooker bats and a ground ball to third Bregman to his left goes to second for one, not quite in time to turn the double play and Rooker taking off and no throw from Diaz Sore Rooker will tally up a stolen base pitch ball Lowe good take by off delivery down low and puts two on with one out. Now for JJ called third strike bottom of the zone goes down looking for from first strikeout of the day. Tapper will glove it on one hop , flip it to first in time to get off for the final out of the inning. A walk and two men left in a shutout first for Mitch Spence another tough afternoon. He's got to keep it close. Right hander going to work against Alex Bregman who swings the first pitch ground ball to short grab by Wilson throws on the run stretch at the other red great grab by Tyler Nevin and a one pitch, great effort at both ends. Retires the Astros third baseman , man. What a start to two bouncing ball on the right side on an off speed delivery coming in for it is G off, he'll flip the first. The curveball pays a dividend early for Spence but he hits this one down the line in for a base hit. Butler is going to hold to a single but the Astros have their first base runner of the day. Strike three. Great job getting through it after the single back. When was feeling like the Navy jerseys were good luck charm. He's not going to the Navy as much anymore. Ground ball weekly hit right side, charging and fielding the second baseman throws to first in time two ground ball left side was right fielding, get the shortstop straight up and throws to first in time to away spear by single to end the inning. Cameron hits it hard. An eight pitch second inning for closest we have seen to a home run in this series with a was a pitch hit triple by john Singleton his first and only triple of his big league career. This one is the other way, a flare that could drop and a base hit and a double for Big john, a little different exit velocity than his triple off the bullpen wall. But that will work. The Astros could use a spark like a home run. They've been kind of waiting for something to cheer about here in this series against the Oakland a who have won the first two games curveball and that's belted to right back Butler at the wall. Jay Hay, his first home run in an Astros uniform and the Astros take a two nothing lead award with his seventh home run of the season. Now has 32 RBIs five groundball outs induced by the veteran lefty. He's retired six straight that will bring up the right fielder. Lawrence Butler can get it. Does Lawrence Butler going for two and Lawrence Butler extended the hit streak to 20 games. That will be his second full count to Shalan lost him last time on a 32 pitch off the plate and he goes right down the middle with a fastball for a called third strike. Picks up his second strikeout both is the final game of the penultimate home stand of 2020 for the Astros go away for a week and Then back home for seven more games, two for two going after a first pitch here, both of his hits have come with two outs and nobody on but he is got two of the Astros four hits. Here's Kyle Tucker who struck out looking his first time up first three ball count for Spence Tucker to right field pretty well hit. This one is off the wall away from Butler will be throw in. That was a tough call with two outs for Gary Pettis. Butler had not yet let go of the ball and he held up Jan Diaz but the Astros at 2nd and 3rd when he goes around second base, he doesn't need the look of the ball behind him. That's Gary Pettis. Pen chops one to third on two hops. Nick Allen will make the play and the Astros Wolf strand two here in the inning, a couple of hits with two outs, two left on had one very efficient inning and two higher pitch count innings starts with three pitches through three innings facing JJ the number four hitter. That's a good pitch outside corner up JJ for the second time back to back strikeouts looking for, this is a beautiful slider. Staying on the outside corner caught by Jr. He picked it before it got to the ground. That will be the first swinging strikeout for Crawford four overall, got him strikes out three in the inning works around a single and a wild pitch 3.5. The Astros with the lefty on the mound lead to Valdez so far has had two runs to work with. He has held down the A's to no runs on a couple of hits. Got him with the curveball. Cameron slumps his shoulders and glares at Jeremy Rehak five consecutive outs for proper with a strikeout from valdez being deceptive. How about the average launch angle against him in his career? Negative one? There's one that's just what we're talking about. What a and what a play by JP three, robert with smiles at Jeremy Pena's great play 1 to 2 other one chopped into the ground. This will be an easier play for Jeremy Pena. Jeremy made the play of the game so far. That's why is smiling because he helped out for a 1 to 2 to 3 inning showing good command of that curveball again using it to swing and Miss Valdez looking to keep this game right where it's at as he works into the sixth inning. This will be number nine when alex gets this from the ninth round ball out. Spence has 12 ground ball outs, not one in the air. Langeliers bats, another one tapped towards third. This will be charged by Bregman. His throw will get the catcher langeliers by a step and a half. Bregman has been busy for the second out of the inning ground ball right side. It will be Dub-n who picks it nicely and makes the play for the, the inning with just six pitches to face four batters and get through the sixth inning. Mitch has pitched really well here, especially lately. That's now eight in a. He's retired, very efficient outing for Mitch Spence who has been pitching in leverage counts all game long. He's usually a guy that has had trouble with walks and getting behind hitters and he'll get through six with those two runs allowed. And as the inning start, the Astros will get their bullpen going for the first time delivering his pitch of the game. Jacob Wilson dumping one out into center field. The dive in effort from jake myers gets past him and Jacob wilson himself on second base, a single and a double today right side of the to the runner, wilson retired for the first out one out and a runner on third. Cameron has lined out and struck out looking pitch to swung on hard. It's going to hit the gap. Here comes a run home as Cameron with an RB I single will not go seven innings for the first time in his last four home starts on seven, his previous 36 and one third today pitches excellent baseball giving his team a chance to win the final game of this series. He'll get a big hand for the crowd on his way out one out here in the seventh and a runner on base. Brian Abreu's coming in out of the bullpen to make his 72nd appearance. A, a leading 72nd appearance hits it sharply singleton with a foot on the back and they make the double play in throws two pitches and gets to hit it to a sharply hit double play to end the inning. Third time through the order. It's a 344 batting average against Mitch Spence. When you look at his third time through the Astros order, just that lone hitman swings at it, the groundball result they wanted. And Jacob Wilson over to Seth Brown job well done by Mitch Spence. It going to be 355 is his, er, A is making his 54th appearance. It's been an over for day for Rooker to get his on base streak to keep moving. This one in the air. This one has some distance and this one has tied the ball game Brent Rooker with a solo that's a way to extend the on base streak and a way to tie the game 11 that ball hit well to left field. Jordan is going to make the catch kind of staggered Jordan making the catch to end the inning on a well struck baseball by Diaz showed you last night already. Had the Astros mark for the most three hit games for a catcher in the season. Has two hits already. Today. There's going to be the third hit with a base hit dropped into right field. He is three for four and owns three of the Astros eight hits today and there's his first hit against will turn and hold up as Tucker singles the other way. His second hit of the game, he will be 1st and 3rd with two outs for john Singleton. There is the ball in the and the go ahead RB I for Singleton in the bottom half of the eighth inning. Big to have a big Thursday Astros scoring all three of the runs today with two outs. Jake Myers trying to add to the lead and he does jake to the gap in left center trying to help Tucker. It is a 4 to 2 Astros lead. Jake myers, the RB I double. Jake the Rake and now Jason Heyward will be intentionally walked to get to Mauricio Dub-n here with the bases loaded left field, one run in fires. He is gonna be safe at home plate news right now as mauricio gives him two and third two out lightning for the Astros on this slider down. Big swing from doy jumping out to that big lead doesn't make it a safe situation, but hater already hot ready to go and you want to close this game out with a W so you bring him in, lifted to right field. That ball go in and out of here. Taler Nevin with the ninth inning homer to get the A's their third run of the game, little back side boogie from out of trying to move back to four games ahead of the Mariners Seattle playing later tonight, third strike ball game over Astros winning 6 to 3. They snap a three game losing streak. Big John came through huge today. The Astros scoring four in the eighth.