HOUSTON (AP) — One night after misplaying a fly ball that led to a six-run inning by the Astros
Frank White Jersey , Nick Martini quickly got over his miscue and came up with another big hit against Houston.Martini hit a tiebreaking double in the ninth
inning and the Oakland Athletics defeated Houston 4-3 Tuesday night, snapping
the Astros’ six-game winning streak.The A’s moved within 1 ½ games of the AL
West-leading Astros.“That’s a great team win,” Edwin Jackson said. “It’s a big
win for us. It’s no secret we needed to come out today and get a win after
(Monday’s) game.”Ramon Laureano drew a one-out walk from Roberto Osuna (1-2),
Jonathan Lucroy singled and Martini followed with his double.“My mindset was
hopefully he tried to get ahead with something early,” Martini said. “I didn’t
want to fall behind. I was fortunate he put one in the zone, and I put a good
swing on it.”Osuna said he was trying to go up and in but he missed down the
middle. He was most disappointed in the walk to Laureano.“That never happened in
the past, to walk a guy with four straight balls like that,” Osuna said.Martini
misplayed a fly ball by Josh Reddick and then overthrew second in the eighth
inning of Monday’s 11-4 win by the Astros.“Like I said yesterday, just get over
it pretty quick,” Martini said. “You know what happened. I can’t change it. I
wish I would have made that play, but I think that will happen a lot less than
it will actually happen. I forgot about it today and came to the park and just
tried to have a good approach.”Martini also hit a tying RBI double in the ninth
against Houston on Aug. 17.“He’s come up with some big hits for us,” Oakland
manager Bob Melvin said. “And beat the shift — he did it last time here, too.
Hit a ball to center field like that. He’s got a pretty good idea at times when
he needs to start his bat a little bit earlier.”Jeurys Familia (8-4) pitched a
scoreless eighth. Blake Treinen worked a perfect ninth for his 33rd save.
Oakland’s bullpen threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings.“Their backend is as good as
anybody’s,” Houston manager AJ Hinch said. “They get the lead
http://www.royalsfanproshop.com/authentic-joakim-soria-jersey , they come in and they’re tough to hit, which is one way they win. They don’t win
if they don’t score. Three of their four runs were either walk or hit by pitch,
so they took advantage of their opportunities.”Alex Bregman’s two-out, two-run
double in the Houston fifth off Edwin Jackson made it 3-all.Matt Olson hit a
three-run homer that gave Oakland a 3-1 lead in the third. Charlie Morton walked
Jed Lowrie and hit Khris Davis with two outs before Olson’s 24th home run of the
season.Houston took a 1-0 lead in the second on a groundout by Tyler White,
scoring Carlos Correa.Morton allowed three runs on three hits with four walks
and three strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.Jackson gave up two earned runs and four
hits with four strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.SPRING IN HIS STEPAstros CF George
Springer made two diving catches in the first three innings. He sprinted in on
Davis’ shallow pop fly, diving forward to make the catch and end the first. In
the third, Springer rushed to his right, diving into the left-center gap to rob
Martini of extra bases.TRAINER’S ROOMAthletics: LHP Sean Manaea was diagnosed
with rotator cuff tendinitis, and Melvin said Manaea would not throw for “a
while.” Melvin said: “We’re hoping to get him back sometime this season. …
Whether that happens or not, I’m not sure.” … LHP Brett Anderson was placed on
the 10-day disabled list Tuesday with a strained left forearm. Oakland recalled
RHP Ryan Dull from Triple-A Nashville.Astros: C Brian McCann (right knee) took
batting practice before Tuesday’s game. The team is leaning toward waiting until
Saturday to activate him.UP NEXTAthletics: RHP Trevor Cahill (5-3, 3.44 ERA)
will start the series finale Wednesday, looking to rebound after allowing five
runs in five innings in his last outing, a loss at the Twins on Thursday. Cahill
is 1-3 with a 6.92 ERA on the road this season.Astros: LHP Dallas Keuchel
(10-10, 3.54) starts Wednesday seeking his second straight win after allowing
two runs over seven innings in his last start Friday at the Angels. ATLANTA (AP)
— Shortstop Dansby Swanson did not participate in the Atlanta Braves‘ light
workout Tuesday and appears to be a longshot to make the team’s roster for its
NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.Swanson partially tore a
ligament in his left hand on a swing against the Mets’ Noah Syndergaard on Sept.
24. He had pain when he tried to swing a bat Saturday in Philadelphia and
received more treatment Tuesday
Kelvin Herrera Jersey , remaining inside while his teammates were on the SunTrust Park field.Manager Brian Snitker paused when asked if Swanson still has
a chance to play when the Braves open the NLDS on Thursday night in Los
Angeles.“A chance,” Snitker said. “I don’t know how great of one, really. But
we’ve had guys in situations like this who have come in the next day and been a
lot better, so we’re just going to take it a day at a time.”Braves players were
not available to reporters on what was officially a day off.Charlie Culberson,
who excelled for the Dodgers in the 2017 postseason , would be Atlanta’s
starting shortstop if Swanson does not show dramatic improvement. That would
strain Atlanta’s already thin bench. Ryan Flaherty could make the roster as a
backup infielder.Snitker said Culberson’s postseason experience will be “really
big” because “it’s the maiden voyage for most concerned.”Culberson hit .282 with
eight homers after the All-Star break this season, and .270 with 12 homers
overall.Swanson hit .238 with 14 homers this season, including only .213 after
the break.One scenario discussed by Snitker and his staff is the possibility of
keeping Swanson on the roster as a defensive replacement and pinch-runner.“We’ve
got to make sure he can go over there and handle the glove and make a play,”
Snitker said, adding Swanson could be forced to hit even if he were to enter a
game as a defensive replacement.Snitker said he has more confidence in Lucas
Duda’s recovery from a sore back. Duda, acquired from Kansas City on Aug. 29,
took batting practice Tuesday and could make the roster as a left-handed
pinch-hitter.Snitker confirmed Mike Foltynewicz will start Thursday night’s
game. Snitker has not released the remainder of his rotation. Anibal Sanchez and
Kevin Gausman could start the next two games on Friday night in Los Angeles and
Sunday night in Atlanta, leaving Julio Teheran and Sean Newcomb as top
candidates for a possible fourth game in Atlanta.Snitker said it “wasn’t hard at
all” to pick Foltynewicz (13-10, 2.85 ERA) to lead the postseason rotation that
does not include a clear-cut No. 1 starter. Foltynewicz was sharp in his last
start
http://www.royalsfanproshop.com/authentic-alcides-escobar-jersey , allowing one hit and one run in five innings in a win over the Phillies.“We’ve
wanted Folty to be the guy for a couple years now,” Snitker said. “To me right
now he’s the guy who has established himself as a legit first guy. … He’s
pitching right now with a lot of confidence.”Foltynewicz, 26, ranked sixth in
the NL with 202 strikeouts.An Atlanta team led by first baseman Freddie Freeman
and “Baby Braves” Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozzie Albies is entering its first
postseason since 2013.“It’s just part of the journey that we’ve been looking to
go on,” Snitker said. “It’s a really fun time for all of the guys involved.”This
will be the first postseason as a manager for Snitker, who has been with the
Braves organization since 1977, when he was a minor league player.Snitker said
he has leaned on the experience of former manager Bobby Cox, the Hall of Famer
who still serves as a senior adviser. Snitker said Cox’s advice was “Keep it
simple. Don’t try and make it something it’s not.”“I’m kind of excited to see
what it is. I’ve managed a lot of games but this is a little different,” he
said. “… I don’t have any fingernails. If I had any hair, I lost it.”
