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Oakland still after first win in Houston

Jun 13, 2007 - 1:42 PM Oakland (34-29) at Houston (27-37) 8:05 pm EDT

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- The Oakland Athletics will be looking to earn their first win in Houston when they visit the Houston Astros on Wednesday.

The Athletics played their first game in Houston on Tuesday, but lost, 5-4, in 11 innings on Brad Ausmus' RBI single.

Joe Blanton (5-4, 3.60 ERA) starts for the Athletics, who struck out 18 times in Tuesday's loss.

Blanton was the losing pitcher on Thursday, when Boston Red Sox hurler Curt Schilling threw a one-hitter against the Athletics. The righthander allowed one run in 7 1/3 innings during a 1-0 loss.

In the start before that, Blanton threw a three-hit shutout against the Minnesota Twins.

The Astros counter with Chris Sampson (6-5, 3.36), who is in line to win three consecutive starts for the first time in his career. Sampson has been a pleasant surprise for Houston, allowing three runs or fewer in 10 of his 11 starts this year.

Mark Kotsay had four hits for Oakland on Tuesday. His homer in the top of the ninth - which tied the game at 4-4 and forced extra innings - was his first since July 2006. Kotsay, who played six seasons in the National League with Florida and San Diego, is hitting .409 in 16 career games at Minute Maid Park.

Houston first baseman Lance Berkman will not play as he serves the second game of his two-game suspension.

"We're 3-0 without him in the lineup," Houston manager Phil Garner joked. "We've appealed to see if the suspension can be longer."