OAKLAND, Calif. _ The Athletics will bring along a significant batting slump as they embark on what may be their most challenging road trip of the season.
The Houston Astros beat the A's, 4-1, Wednesday at the Coliseum for a three-game series sweep before a crowd of 18,044. It completed a 3-3 homestand for the Athletics.
Following a travel day, the Athletics (18-19) have three games against the Yankees in New York, followed by three games in Boston and four in Toronto.
Jed Lowrie's RBI double in the sixth inning got home the Athletics' lone run against starter and winner Gerrit Cole (4-1). In the last five games, the A's have scored nine runs and have 26 runs in their last 11 games. Cole and relievers Joe Smith, Will Harris and Ken Giles combined to hold the Athletics to four hits.
Houston, being blanked by A's starter Daniel Mengden through six innings, got a two-out solo home run from Max Stassi in the seventh, followed by a titanic second-deck blast to center field for another home run by Derek Fisher.
The Astros added to that lead in the eighth with a two-run double by Yuli Gurriel against Yusmeiro Petit.
The A's scored just five runs in the series, have 26 runs in their last 11 games and are batting .196 (70-for-358) dating back to April 28.
Cole and Astros pitchers had something to do with Wednesday's output.
"Their guy today, he's throwing 98 up in the zone, getting it called all day," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "It's tough to chase them up there, and when he's getting strikes it's doubly tough. Four-pitch guy, throws 98 miles an hour, a pretty good rotation."
