HOUSTON — Nick Kurtz and Brent Rooker homered, Gage Jump worked 6 1/3 scoreless innings and the Athletics beat the Houston Astros 5-0 on Sunday to avoid a series sweep.
Kurtz opened the scoring in the third with his 12th home run of the year - a 389-foot line drive to right-center that scored Alika Williams for a 2-0 lead. Later in the inning, Brent Rooker added an RBI double that scored Shea Langeliers and gave the Athletics a 3-0 lead.
Zack Gelof scored on a fielding error by shortstop Jeremy Peña in the fourth inning and Rooker’s 397-foot solo shot to left field capped the scoring in the fifth.
Jump (2-1) allowed three hits and three walks with three strikeouts. The 23-year-old left-hander has allowed just one run in his past 13 1/3 innings pitched.
Houston’s Mike Burrows (3-8) allowed all five runs on eight hits in five innings. Burrows has given up 17 home runs in 13 starts this season, with 11 coming on his four-seam fastball. He has a 5.77 ERA in 73 1/3 innings.
The Astros were limited to four hits in their fifth shutout loss of the season.
PHOTOS: Kurtz, Rooker HRs, Jump's 6 1/3 scoreless innings power Athletics past Astros 5-0
Houston second baseman Nick Allen left the game in the third inning with left hamstring discomfort after running to first base. Taylor Trammell took over as a pinch-runner.
Up next
Astros RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-1, 1.94 ERA) takes the mound in a series opener against the Angels on Monday.
Athletics LHP Jeffrey Springs (3-6, 4.37 ERA) starts in the team’s series opener against Brewers LHP Kyle Harrison (7-1, 1.57) on Monday.
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