Athletics pound Astros with 6-run 4th in home opener

Lawrence Butler went 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs and Max Muncy was 3-for-4 with a blast and drove in three as the Athletics rolled to a 11-4 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday night in West Sacramento, Calif.

Tyler Soderstrom had two hits and two RBIs and Jack Wilson also had two hits as the Athletics posted 13 hits in their home opener. All 11 runs scored with two outs.

Jeffrey Springs (1-0) gave up one run and two hits in six innings for the Athletics. He struck out seven and walked one to help the A's win for just the second time in seven games this season.

Houston's Cristian Javier (0-1) allowed six runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings. He walked five and struck out two.

Yainer Diaz and Nick Allen had two hits apiece for the Astros, who had a five-game winning streak halted.

The Athletics blew the game open with six runs in the fourth inning as a Houston misplay prevented the Astros from escaping unscathed.

Desmond Clarke was on third with two outs when Soderstrom hit a high infield popup. Four Astros were in the area and Diaz, the catcher, backtracked into fair territory and the ball fell in behind him for an infield single. Clarke scored to give the A's a 5-1 lead.

Roddery Munoz replaced Javier and walked Brent Rooker before allowing a run-scoring single to Wilson. Butler then went the opposite way for a three-run blast to left to make it 9-1.

Muncy followed with a no-doubt homer to left to increase the margin to nine.

Munoz struck out the first two batters in the fifth before walking Shea Langeliers. Soderstrom followed with an RBI double to right-center to make it 11-1.

Allen's infield single and three walks got Houston a run in the seventh.

Jake Meyers hit a sacrifice fly to score Allen in the ninth. Diaz added an RBI double.

The Athletics first struck in the second when Muncy, Jeff McNeil and Clarke stroked consecutive two-out singles to left.

Houston tied it in the third as Diaz reached on an infield hit to start the inning, moved to third on Jeremy Pena's one-out double and scored on a sacrifice fly by Yordan Alvarez.

The Athletics took the lead for good in the third. With two on and two outs, Butler dropped a single to left for a 2-1 lead and Muncy followed by lacing a two-run double to right-center.

--Field Level Media