HOUSTON (AP) — Nick Kurtz and Brent Rooker homered, Gage Jump worked 6 1/3 scoreless innings and the Athletics beat the Houston Astros 5-0 on Sunday to avoid a series sweep.
Kurtz opened the scoring in the third with his 12th home run of the year — a 389-foot line drive to right-center that scored Alika Williams for a 2-0 lead. Later in the inning, Brent Rooker added an RBI double that scored Shea Langeliers and gave the Athletics a 3-0 lead.
Zack Gelof
scored on a fielding error by shortstop Jeremy Peña in the fourth inning and Rooker's 397-foot solo shot to left field capped the scoring in the fifth.
Jump (2-1) allowed three hits and three walks with three strikeouts. The 23-year-old left-hander has allowed just one run in his past 13 1/3 innings pitched.
Houston's Mike Burrows (3-8) allowed all five runs on eight hits in five innings. Burrows has given up 17 home runs in 13 starts this season, with 11 coming on his four-seam fastball. He has a 5.77 ERA in 73 1/3 innings.
The Astros were limited to four hits in their fifth shutout loss of the season.
Houston second baseman Nick Allen left the game in the third inning with left hamstring discomfort after running to first base. Taylor Trammell took over as a pinch-runner.
Astros RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-1, 1.94 ERA) takes the mound in a series opener against the Angels on Monday.
Athletics LHP Jeffrey Springs (3-6, 4.37 ERA) starts in the team's series opener against Brewers LHP Kyle Harrison (7-1, 1.57) on Monday.
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