WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Lawrence Butler hit a three-run homer and an RBI single, Max Muncy followed Butler’s fourth-inning drive with a solo shot after his earlier two-run double, and the Athletics pounded the Houston Astros 11-4 on Friday night for a victorious home opener.
The A’s added a run in their decisive six-run fourth on Tyler Soderstrom’s shallow popup that catcher Yainer Diaz couldn’t corral some 10 feet up the first-base line as three other players converged. Jacob Wilson singled home a run two batters later before Butler and Muncy connected back-to-back. Soderstrom also doubled in a run for the A’s, who went 36-45 at home last season.
They scored 17 runs in their initial six games before breaking out Friday — all with two outs.
Houston (5-3) was coming off a sweep of the Red Sox and had won five straight since dropping its initial two games but fell behind early to the inspired A’s in their first game at Sutter Health Park, where they started playing last year and plan to stay through next season before a move to Las Vegas in 2028.
Astros starter Cristian Javier (0-1) reached 600 career strikeouts when he fanned Butler in the second. The right-hander then surrendered three straight singles — with Denzel Clarke driving in the first run — and was done after 3 2/3 innings.
Diaz singled to start the third against Jeffrey Springs (1-0) then Jeremy Peña’s one-out double set up a tying sacrifice fly by Yordan Álvarez. Springs beat Houston in his last start back in September.
Jose Altuve then appeared to draw a walk but catcher Shea Langeliers challenged and the automated ball-strike system review showed the pitch barely caught the bottom corner of the plate and was overturned to a called third strike — ending the inning.
Up next
RHP Tatsuya Imai (0-0, 13.50 ERA) pitches the middle game Saturday opposite A’s RHP Luis Morales (0-1, 10.38).
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