Fresh off a victory in game one of the series, the Athletics took on the homestanding Houston Astros in game two of the four-game set at Daikin Park in Houston. Taking the mound for the A’s was Jeffrey Springs. He matched up against Ryan Gusto for Houston. This pairing was not a fair fight.
The A’s jumped out to the lead in the top of the first inning. With one out, Nick Kurtz singled. Shea Langeliers followed with a single of his own, and then Tyler Soderstrom doubled to centerfield scoring both
Kurtz and Langeliers. Jacob Wilson, who has been seriously slumping as of late, singled to score Soderstrom, giving the A’s a 3-0 lead. Lawrence Butler worked a full count but ultimately struck out to end the rally.
With one out in the second, Max Schuemann was hit by a pitch. Cortez struck out for a second time in two innings, but Nick Kurtz flicked his wrists and hit an opposite field, two run dinger to left field. That gave the A’s a 5-0 lead.
Homerun # 2️⃣0️⃣ for Kurtz pic.twitter.com/TFAeX1yArf
— Athletics (@Athletics) July 26, 2025
After a 1-2-3 bottom of the second for Jeffrey Springs, Tyler Soderstrom homered in the top of the third, giving the A’s a 6-0 lead. It was Tyler’s 19th homer of the season.
Sodey sends it out pic.twitter.com/kZ5gsPn2In
— Athletics (@Athletics) July 26, 2025
Carlos Cortez singled with one down in the top of the fourth. Kurtz followed with a double that just missed exiting the park. That bomb scored Cortez and chased Ryan Gusto. Not to be left out, Shea Langeliers ripped a homer to deep left field, scoring Kurtz and giving the A’s a 9-0 lead.
With two down in the fifth, Zack Short homered to left field scoring Chas McCormick. That got the Astros on the board, but they still trailed 9-2. The A’s got one back in the top of the sixth, when Nick Kurtz homered for the second time tonight to deep left field.
Elvis Alvarado replaced Jeffrey Springs in the bottom of the seventh. Springs final line was six innings, two earned runs on four hits and one walk. He struck out five Astros on the evening. Alvarado sent the Astros down 1-2-3.
In the top of the eighth, Nick Kurtz did it again. This time he pulled a rocket down the right field line for his third homer and fifth hit of the game.
NICK KURTZ IS UNBELIEVABLE pic.twitter.com/uktDKzFKa2
— Athletics (@Athletics) July 26, 2025
After Alvarado held the Astros at bay again in the eighth, the A’s came up in the ninth against left fielder Cooper Hummel. Butler singled. Gio Urshela doubled. Max Schuemann ground out scoring Butler. Carlos Cortez singled and then the Kurtz magic continued this incredible, historic night. He homered to deep left field driving in Cortez and Urshela.
Nick Kurtz is out of this world pic.twitter.com/mHDQMQEjF6
— Athletics (@Athletics) July 26, 2025
That made Kurtz 6-6 with four homers. He became the youngest major leaguer with four homers in a game. That made the score 15-2. The A’s gave up one in the ninth when a ball fell between Thomas and Butler in right centerfield, allowing Taylor Trammel to scamper home with the Astros third run. The final score was 15-3, taking the first two games of the series.
When all was said and done, it was hard to imagine which team leads the American League West and which was holding on to last place.
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