Reliever Bryan Abreu takes the loss, wasting another quality outing from Ryan Gusto
The Astros came into Sacramento on a five-game winning streak, mostly on the strength of great starting pitching, much of it from AAA call-ups.
After winning its last two games in walk-off fashion, tonight the Astros got the walk-off treatment themselves, wasting a great performance from another fill-in starter, Ryan Gusto.
Gusto went five innings and allowed only one run on a fifth-inning homer. He allowed three hits and a walk while striking out eight.
The Astros’ run came in the first inning on a Jose Altuve homer, and the Astros’ bullpen kept the game tied until the bottom of the ninth. With Josh Hader needing a night off, the Astros brought on their setup man, Bryan Abreu, to hold the Athletics and send the game into extra innings. He did not have command tonight, walking the first batter on five pitches and surrendering a game-winning home run to Nick Kurtz on a 2-1, hanging slider.
The homer extended the Athletics’ win streak to four games and ended the Stros’ five-game streak.
You had the sense the Astros’ streak had a little more than average luck, and tonight the tables were turned. Although the Astros had nine hits, they only had three runners in scoring position all night, none of whom scored.
The two teams go at it tomorrow, 9:10 CT.