Athletics 4 - 0 Astros
Final
  for this game

Graveman gets 1st win as A's beat Astros

Apr 15, 2015 - 5:25 AM Houston, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Kendall Graveman picked up his first major league win after getting shelled in his first start, throwing 5 1/3 innings to help the Oakland Athletics shut out the Houston Astros 4-0 on Tuesday.

Graveman (1-1) gave up seven earned runs in just 3 1/3 innings last Thursday in a 10-1 loss to Texas. The 24-year-old right-hander yielded four hits and four walks with three strikeouts against the Astros and combined with four other pitchers on the shutout.

"For a youngster who had a tough first outing that shows you a little bit of what he's made," A's manager Bob Melvin said.

Sam Fuld had two doubles and scored a run and Josh Reddick added two hits and an RBI for the A's, who won the opener of the three-game series 8-1 on Monday after losing consecutive games in extra innings to Seattle.

Houston had eight hits -- all singles -- and drew four walks but went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 men on base.

Brad Peacock (0-1) came off the disabled list to pitch five-plus innings for the Astros, giving up three runs, five hits and two walks. He was activated before the game after having right hip surgery in October. Three Houston relievers combined to allow just two more hits.

"Our pitching held us in the game," said Astros manager A.J. Hinch. "(The A's) did a pretty good job of getting a run and then tacking on a couple."

Fuld led off the game with a double, went to third on Mark Canha's groundout and scored the only run Oakland needed on Ben Zobrist's sacrifice fly.

Zobrist drew a leadoff walk in the sixth inning and beat the throw home on Billy Butler's double, chasing Peacock. Stephen Vogt then hit an RBI single off Joe Thatcher to give Oakland a 3-0 lead

After Brett Lawrie was hit by a two-out pitch in the ninth inning, he stole second base and scored on Reddick's single for the 4-0 margin.

Among Houston's missed opportunities was one in the first inning, when George Springer and Jed Lowrie reached base before Graveman escaped with a double play.

Jason Castro and Colby Rasmus drew two-out walks in the second inning and were also left on base.

Later, Jake Marisnick hit a one-out single in the ninth before Tyler Clippard got fly balls from Jose Altuve and Springer to end the game.

Game Notes

Luis Valbuena led Houston with two hits ... Graveman threw 57 of his 96 pitches for strikes ... The Astros optioned pitcher Asher Wojciechowski to Triple-A Fresno to make room for Peacock on the roster.






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