HOUSTON _ The Oakland A's needed a strong outing from Aaron Brooks with the offense still not firing on all cylinders.
That did not happen.
Brooks was not sharp and the A's offense mustered up just one extra-base hit in Saturday's 6-0 loss to the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. It was the first time Oakland has been shut out this season and the fifth time they have scored two runs or less in their last 10 games. The A's also lost back-to-back games for the first time since their opening series against the Seattle Mariners in Japan.
The Astros (4-5) offense was not exactly lighting it up either as they entered the night. But it broke through by making Brooks pay for his mistakes with a season-high seven runs.
It was not an issue of throwing strikes for Brooks. The right-hander threw 61 of his 91 pitches for strikes. The problem for Brooks was that he was unable to put hitters away when he had the chance. His fourth-inning RBI double allowed to Yuli Gurriel and two-run homer to George Springer in the fifth both came after getting ahead in the count 0-2 to both.
It was a stark contrast from Brooks' previous outing when he held the Boston Red Sox scoreless over six innings.
Brooks later surrendered a two-run home run to Michael Brantley in the fifth before finishing his night allowing five runs on nine hits and walk with two strikeouts over five innings of work.
Stephen Piscotty was responsible for the lone A's (6-6) extra-base hit as he doubled in the first. The offense left a total of eight runners on base and went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position.
Wade Miley kept the A's in check through 5 2/3 innings before handing it over to his bullpen. The A's never had a runner go past second base on the night.
