OAKLAND, Calif. _ Manager Bob Melvin said the A's were going to need some other players to make an impact Tuesday with both third baseman Matt Chapman and outfielder Stephen Piscotty unavailable due to injury.
In stepped Khris Davis, whose vintage at-bats helped the A's take the first game of their double-header with the Houston Astros at the Coliseum.
Davis homered in the third inning and hit an RBI double in the sixth, both to the opposite field off starter Zack Greinke, to help the A's beat the Astros 4-2 in seven innings to momentarily widen their lead in the American League West to 5 { games.
The A's also got a solid bounce-performance from starter Frankie Montas and two hits, an RBI and a run scored from Ramon Laureano to improve to 3-2 on their eight-game homestand. Liam Hendriks earned his 11th save this season.
In the third, Davis, playing in his first game since Aug. 26, drove a 90 mph fastball from Greinke to right field for his second home run of the season and the 158th of his Oakland career. After he rounded the bases, Davis stepped on home plate and pivoted to his left to trot to the A's dugout, where he let out a pair of loud roars.
Davis' double in the sixth inning scored Laureano from second base. It was Davis' first game with multiple extra base hits since Sept. 13 of last year when he homered twice in a 14-9 win over the Texas Rangers. He entered Tuesday with six RBI and a .155 batting average.
Piscotty had soreness in his left wrist early Tuesday and did not play in the first game of the double-header. Chapman has right hip tendinitis and will also miss Wednesday's game with Houston, at least.
"You're going to need guys over the course of a season, and whether guys are banged up, we've always been a team that has incorporated everybody," Melvin said. "When you have injuries, you need the guys that are going to replace them to be ready enough to replace them.
"You see right now with the injuries that we're having, other guys are going to have to produce and step up and they have to be ready for it. In (Davis') case, he's been sitting out for a little bit, which he's not used to. It's not an easy role for him, but he was going to be in there regardless today."
Montas allowed a two-run home run to Michael Brantley in the bottom of the fifth inning that tied the game 2-2. He was otherwise solid, allowing a combined six his and walking just one to go with four strikeouts.
In his last three starts before Tuesday, Montas had allowed a combined 18 earned runs in 9 2/3 innings. He entered Tuesday at 2-3 with a 6.06 ERA.
