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Crisp key as Oakland thumps Astros

Apr 6, 2013 - 6:51 AM Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Coco Crisp went 3-for-5 with a solo home run, three RBI and two runs scored as the Oakland Athletics took an 8-3 win over the Houston Astros to open a three-game series.

Josh Donaldson drove in two runs while John Jaso added a pair of hits along with an RBI and a run scored for the Athletics, who split a four-game series with Seattle to start the season.

Dan Straily (1-0) gave up two runs on five hits with a career-high 11 strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings to get the win.

"He pounded his fastball tonight, threw his breaking ball when he had to but was aggressive," said Oakland manager Bob Melvin on his starter's performance.

Jose Altuve had two hits and an RBI while Matt Dominguez and Marwin Gonzalez also drove in a run for the Astros, who won their season opener on Sunday but then dropped the next two games against the Rangers.

Brad Peacock (0-1) was touched for two runs on three hits with three walks and five strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

"It's the first time I've been out there in a while," said Peacock. "Just tried to throw to hard maybe."

Crisp got things started for the A's in the first inning when he led off the game with his first home run of the season.

The score stayed that way until the fifth when Oakland expanded on its advantage significantly.

With the bases loaded, Yoenis Cespedes hit a ball to short that Gonzalez misplayed, allowing two runners to cross the plate. Josh Reddick then scored a run when Jaso reached base on a sac bunt and Chris Young walked to again load the bases. Donaldson followed with a two-run single to right, and Crisp later drove in two more with a double for an 8-0 advantage.

Altuve got the Astros on the board in the sixth when he singled home Gonzalez, who had led off with a double.

Dominguez's RBI single in the seventh made it an 8-2 game, and the Astros got another run in the ninth on a run-scoring groundout by Gonzalez.

Game Notes

These two teams last met in 2007, with Oakland taking two of three in Houston ... Bartolo Colon pitches for Oakland on Saturday while Erik Bedard gets the start for Houston ... Oakland left 11 men on base while batting 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position ... The Astros have struck out 56 times in their first four games, a new Major League record.