Game #145: A’s fall again, lose to Astros 5-0

The A’s dropped another to the Astros, falling to Houston 5-0 in the second of four games in the series.

A single player from the opposing team matched Oakland’s total hits and then some as Yordan Alvarez hit three home runs to lead the way. Not a whole lot of positives from this one.

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With rookie Adrian Martinez on the mound tonight against the soon-to-be division winners and facing Justin Verlander, it was always going to be an uphill battle i this one. Martinez did a good job of holding down the Astros… except for Yordan Alvarez, who had three home runs against the right-handed this evening. If you take Alvarez out of the Houston lineup, Martinez actually had a good game. Alas, you need to count those three at-bats against the rookie. His final line looked like this:

-Adrian Martinez: 5 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 6 K, 97 pitches

The bats, meanwhile, did what they always do against Verlander: they went silent. Oakland couldn’t collect a single hit against him in his first start back from the IL as he tossed 5 nearly perfect inning against the A’s today. They collected their first hit on the first batter once Verlander was out of the game, but it went nowhere. Oakland was shut out yet again.

At best the A’s can split this series but they’ll need to turn it on fast for a chance. They’ll face off against Houston righty Jose Urquidy tomorrow for game three, while tge A’s will be trotting out left-handed Cole Irvin.