After blowout win, Athletics look to unleash even more power vs. Astros

The Athletics didn't look potent when they scored 17 total runs while losing five of their first six games.

But Lawrence Butler said the real version of the A's are the team that scored 11 runs on Friday night.

The Athletics will shoot for another highly productive outing on Saturday afternoon when they face the Houston Astros in the middle contest of a three-game series at West Sacramento, Calif.

Butler was one of the heroes of an easy 11-4 victory that came in the A's home opener. He went 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs and said afterward that the A's weren't feeling the anxiety that outsiders were about the team's start to the season.

"Everyone around us might panic, but we're not panicking at all," Butler said. We're going to stay within ourselves and be the players we can be."

Max Muncy was 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs as the Athletics racked up 13 hits. All 11 runs scored with two outs as the A's went 6-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

"It felt like a regular day at the office," Butler said. "We know what kind of team we are, and we showed it (Friday night).

"Nobody has been panicking in the clubhouse despite our 1-5 record. But we know we're a good team and that eventually we'll show the league we're a good team."

Muncy said the offense had a "contagious" feeling.

"I think we knew it was going to happen," he said. "I know these guys can all hit. We were waiting to break through, and hopefully we can keep it going."

Despite the breakout performance, reigning American League Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz continued to struggle.

Kurtz was hitless in four at-bats to drop to 1-for-21 (.048) on the season. He has struck out 13 times and has yet to go deep after hitting 36 homers last season.

The Astros had won five straight games before the shaky outing.

Houston was trailing by three with two outs in the fourth inning when a misplay allowed the Athletics to score six runs.

Desmond Clarke was on third when Tyler Soderstrom hit an infield pop-up. Four Astros were in the area and Yainer Diaz, the catcher, back-tracked into fair territory, and the ball fell in for an infield single and Clarke scored to give the A's a 5-1 lead. Five more runs scored before Houston retired the side.

"We can't give this team extra outs," Astros manager Joe Espada said.

He said his team's pitching will need to be much better for the rest of the series.

"You have to pitch ahead of this lineup," Espada said. "This is a really good lineup. You've got to establish your stuff from the very get-go. If you want to get them to chase and you want to get some bad swings, you need to come with your ‘A' stuff from pitch No. 1."

Houston will send right-hander Tatsuya Imai (0-0, 13.50 ERA) to the mound for his second start. The 27-year-old pitched the previous eight seasons in his native Japan.

His first big-league outing didn't go well as he allowed four runs, three hits and three walks in 2 2/3 innings during a no-decision against the visiting Los Angeles Angels last Sunday. He struck out four in a contest the Astros won 9-7.

Right-hander Luis Morales (0-1, 10.38 ERA) will start for the Athletics and will attempt to bounce back from a shaky season debut.

Morales served up three homers in 4 1/3 innings during Sunday's 5-2 loss to the host Toronto Blue Jays. He gave up five runs and five hits over 4 1/3 innings.

--Field Level Media