WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Christian Walker homered and drove in three runs to back a strong start from Framber Valdez and the Houston Astros beat the Athletics 11-5 on Thursday to snap a five-game losing streak.
Houston avoided a sweep and ended a seven-game losing streak to the Athletics after beginning the day a game behind Detroit for the final AL wild card with the Tigers owning the tiebreaker. Detroit was set to play the Cleveland Guardians later Thursday.
Nick Kurtz homered twice and drove in the three runs for the Athletics. He hit a shot off Valdez in the sixth and a two-run shot against Enyel De Los Santos in the eighth. Kurtz’s 35 home runs are the second-most by an A’s rookie — trailing only Mark McGwire’s 49 in 1987. He hit nine homers in 11 games against Houston, tied for fourth-most against the Astros in a single season.
Valdez (13-11) gave up a run and seven hits in seven innings, striking out 10 and walking two in his 31st start. He was 1-7 with a 6.80 ERA in his previous nine outings.
Victor Caratini had an RBI single and Walker a run-scoring fielder’s choice in the first inning against J.T. Ginn for a 2-0 lead and Houston never looked back. Walker hit his 24th homer in the eighth to push the Astros’ lead to 11-1.
Jose Altuve went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs scored, and Isaac Paredes had two hits and two RBIs for the Astros
Ginn (4-7) allowed seven runs and six hits over 3 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out four.
Key moment
Valdez gave up a leadoff single to Shea Langeliers in the first and then struck out the next five batters to set the tone.
Key stat
Langeliers went 4 for 4 for the A’s on Wednesday and singled his first three times up against Valdez before striking out in the seventh. He and JJ Bleday had back-to-back doubles leading off the ninth against Nick Hernandez before Bryan Abreu came in to close it out.
Up next
Astros RHP Jason Alexander (4-2, 4.83 ERA) goes against Angels RHP Kyle Hendricks (8-10, 4.79) in the opener of a three-game series in Anaheim on Friday.
Athletics RHP Luis Morales (4-2, 3.07) faces Royals LHP Noah Cameron (9-7, 2.90) in the opener of a season-ending series at home on Friday.
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