OAKLAND, Calif. _ The Oakland Athletics hoped to assert themselves against the upper echelon of the American League but instead found themselves back at .500 following a 4-2 loss to the Houston Astros before a crowd of 9,675.
Sean Manaea, pitching at the Coliseum for the first time since his no-hitter on April 21, did not last six innings and saw his record fall to 4-4. The Athletics, 18-18, hope to avoid a sweep Wednesday against Houston, as well as salvage a winning record on a brief homestand that began with a three-game sweep of Baltimore.
Houston chased Manaea in the fifth inning as Yuli Gurriel hit a one-out double, and after Alex Bregman lined to third, Marwin Gonzalez singled to left to drive in Gurriel to make it 4-2.
At that point, manager Bob Melvin removed Manaea after 5 2/3 innings, seven hits and four earned runs. He walked no one and struck out three. Lou Trivino gave up a single to Evan Gattis, but then retired Brian McCann on a foul pop to end the inning.
The Astros were up 3-2 after George Springer, with his eighth hit in nine at-bats during the series, lined a two-run double off the fence in left field over Matt Joyce.
Manaea had retired the first two batters of the inning before hitting McCann with a pitch, then surrendering a double to left center by the No. 9 hitter, Jake Marisnik, to put runners at second and third.
The Athletics averted further damage when Steven Piscotty chased down a bid for extra bases by Jose Altuve at the fence for the third out.
The Athletics scored without the benefit of a hit in the first inning, with Marcus Semien opening with a walk, going to second on a wild pitch and taking third on Jed Lowrie's fly to right. Another wild pitch by Lance McCullers brought Semien home.
Houston tied it 1-1 in the second on an opposite field home run by Bregman on a 2-0 pitch.
_Piscotty, who played right field two days after the death of his mother, singled cleanly to right center in his first at-bat. He followed with a well-struck ground ball double play in the fourth and flied to left in the seventh.
Defenively, Piscotty took away an extra-base hit bid by Altuve by running down a line drive at the fence to end the fifth inning. The game ended with Piscotty on the on deck circle, as Chad Pinder grounded into a game-ending double play against Houston closer Ken Giles.
_When Melvin pulled Matt Chapman Tuesday night trailing 11-0, it was the first time this season the A's third baseman had been off the field.
"You don't want to come out of the game," Chapman said. "But that's out of my control. It is a little weird, watching the game, considering I've been out there the whole time. But I rooted for my teammates and tried to be a good teammate."
Melvin said resistance from Chapman was minor.
"He lobbied," Melvin said. "He wants to be out there all the time, but he could use a bit of a rest. An off day will be coming for him at some point. He hasn't had one. He hasn't had one. He didn't start a game in Philadelphia last year but came in for defense, so he's got a string working. But his time's coming for a full off day at some point."
Chapman, Semien and Davis have played in every game this season.
_When Chapman came out of the game, Pinder moved from right field to third base. It was his first action at third as a major leaguer. (He played five games at third base in the minors).
Pinder can play all three outfield spots and can play anywhere in the infield as well.
"He says he can catch," Melvin said. "I don't think I'd put him on the mound. But everything else is open to him."
