Game Thread #161: A’s at Astros

Two games left in the 2021 season! May as well keep beating the Houston Astros.

The Oakland A’s continue their series at Minute Maid Park on Saturday. They have Paul Blackburn on the mound, making his ninth start of the year, which is nine more than anybody would have guessed. But the right-hander has done an admirable job as an emergency fill-in, posting a palatable 4.71 ERA and generally keeping the team in the game more often than not. His most recent appearance came against the Astros, and he tossed five innings with just one run in an Oakland victory.

The A’s lineup gets back third baseman Matt Chapman after a day off Friday, and it features Pete Kozma at shortstop for the second straight game. Kozma was called up yesterday for his first MLB action since 2018, and while he went 0-for-4, one of his groundouts was botched for a run-scoring error, and on the other side of the ball he did quality defensive work up the middle.

A’s lineup (away)

1. 2B Tony Kemp (L)
2. CF Starling Marte (R)
3. 1B Matt Olson (L)
4. RF Chad Pinder (R)
5. LF Seth Brown (L)
6. 3B Matt Chapman (R)
7. DH Khris Davis (R)
8. C Sean Murphy (R)
9. SS Pete Kozma (R)

• RHP Paul Blackburn

Day off for Harrison.

Astros lineup (home)

1. 2B Jose Altuve (R)
2. DH Michael Brantley (L)
3. 3B Alex Bregman (R)
4. LF Yordan Alvarez (L)
5. 1B Yuli Gurriel (R)
6. RF Kyle Tucker (L)
7. SS Aledmys Diaz (R)
8. C Jason Castro (L)
9. CF Jake Meyers (R)

• RHP Jake Odorizzi

Let’s go Oakland!

How To Watch

• Date: Saturday, October 2
• Time: 4:10 p.m. PT
• TV (local): NBC Sports California
• Radio: 960 AM (more listings here)
• Streaming (watch): NBCS website (with cable sub)
• Streaming (listen): A’s Cast