Houston Astros' Urquidy Cruises Through Six But A's Pounce in the Seventh

The Houston Astros sent most of the bench to the plate Friday, but fell short to the Oakland A's after a three-run seventh inning.

José Altuve, Yuli Gurriel and Martín Maldonado were all granted off days Friday by manager Dusty Baker. Altuve — who is now day-to-day with a knee contusion — was optimistic he will play again prior to the All-Star break, per Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston.

Only four of the nine starters played on Opening Day this season. With three starters out, irregulars flooded Friday's lineup after the team arrived in Houston early the same morning.

Nonetheless, the Astros tallied the first run of the contest. José Siri struck a sacrifice fly in the fifth to center fielder Skye Bolt scoring Chas McCormick from third — an excellent inning for the bottom of the lineup. But the runs stopped there for Houston.

José Urquidy worked six scoreless frames before entering the seventh inning on 86 pitches. Baker kept his starter in play, but it didn't work in the team's favor.

Urquidy surrendered a two-run single off the bat of Elvis Andrus — who reached second on a fielding error by Jake Meyers, and third on a wild pitch committed by Urquidy.

Houston Astros Reliever Ryne Stanek

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The righty picked up one out in the inning. Following a four-pitch strikeout, Urquidy was given the hook. Stanek entered Saturday with the second-longest active scoreless streak in baseball, and he kept it alive.

Nevertheless, Bolt singled home Andrus, but the run was charged to Urquidy. The 27-year-old tossed a quality start and has improved over the last month. Entering Friday, Urquidy ranked first in opponent batting average (.121) and second in WHIP (0.70) of any pitcher since June 21.

Stanek left without an earned run. His scoreless streak moved to 24 2/3 innings which is the longest by any Astro since Will Harris in 2016 (26 1/3). 

Seth Martinez was tasked for the last two innings which ended in his second and third earned runs of the season. Entering with a sub-1.00 ERA on the year, Martinez yielded a two-run home run to Bolt in the ninth. The home run put the Oakland A's up 5-1 en route to the club's 31st win of the season.

The Astros' offense stranded five runners Friday in a contest where the team looked gassed. The quick turnaround from a night game in Los Angeles worked against Houston in the first of three games against Oakland.

Down one in the series, the Astros look to match the A's at 3:10 p.m. Saturday. Justin Verlander makes his first start since July 7 against Kansas City, facing rookie Jared Koening.

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