OAKLAND, Calif. _ The A's have won eight straight games, beating the Houston Astros, 3-1, on Saturday.
Marcus Semien became the first Athletic to hit a walk-off and a leadoff home run in back-to-back games. Drawing a 3-2 count to lead off the first, Semien launched Astros left-hander Framber Valdez's curveball offering into left field.
Semien's first home run of the season would be the only run on the board for either team until the sixth inning, when Matt Chapman's one-out high chopper scored Semien from third _ Semien had singled, then reached third on a lucky bounce off catcher Dustin Garneau's off attempt to get Semien stealing.
Chapman would collect another run, hitting an opposite-field solo shot in the eighth inning off Nivaldo Rodriguez in the eighth inning.
Frankie Montas stole the show, coming off his seven-inning, one-run start against the Seattle Mariners with a seven-inning shutout performance against the Astros.
Montas' fastball was particularly lively, and he expanded the strike zone with ease, striking out five batters in 86 pitches. Only Yuli Gurriel's two hits blemished his line, with Carlos Correa reaching on a fielder's choice.
