Victor Caratini hit a one-out, walk-off single to center field in the 10th inning, and the host Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 2-1 on Tuesday.
Caratini hit an 0-2 pitch off right-hander Michael Kelly (2-1) to drive in pinch runner Trey Cabbage. Astros closer Josh Hader (2-3) worked two scoreless innings, including escaping a jam with two runners in scoring position and one out in the top of the 10th, to earn the win.
Third baseman Alex Bregman led off the second with a home run off Oakland starter JP Sears to give Houston a 1-0 lead. It was Bregman’s third homer of the series and fourth of the season.
Sears allowed two additional baserunners in the inning but got out of the jam. He went five innings and allowed one run on five hits, striking out two and walking one.
Oakland relievers Austin Adams, Lucas Erceg and Mason Miller combined for four hitless innings with one walk and nine strikeouts.
Astros starter Ronel Blanco was ejected by third-base umpire Laz Diaz before the start of the fourth inning after a foreign substance inspection of his glove. Blanco logged three scoreless innings, allowing four hits and one walk with four strikeouts.
The Houston bullpen worked four scoreless innings. Right-hander Tayler Scott, who took over for Blanco, threw two perfect innings and recorded three strikeouts. Right-hander Rafael Montero then struck out the side in the sixth despite hitting Shea Langeliers with a pitch.
Right-hander Bryan Abreu allowed a leadoff single to Kyle McCann in the seventh but got Tyler Nevin to hit into a double play on the next pitch.
But the Athletics broke through when Ryan Pressly entered for Houston in the eighth. Abraham Toro led off the inning with a ground-rule double, and Brent Rooker scorched a first-pitch fastball into center that scored Toro and pulled the Athletics even at 1-1.
Langeliers finished 2-for-3 for the Athletics, who have lost three in a row. Bregman went 2-for-4 for the Astros, who have won three straight.
