Stephen Vogt hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth inning and the Oakland Athletics closed out a shaky first half of the season by beating the Houston Astros 4-3 on Sunday.
Ramon Laureano homered for the A’s, who enter the All-Star break with a 32-61 record, worst in the American League. It is the first season under manager Mark Kotsay.
Kyle Tucker and Jeremy Peña homered for Houston, which has the second-best record in the AL at 59-32. Manager Dusty Baker’s team won the pennant last season but lost the World Series to Atlanta.
Vogt, who had pinch-hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth, had a two-point single to right in the eighth off Rafael Montero (3-1).
AJ Puk (2-1) pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the win. Zach Jackson took over the eighth and Lou Trevino the ninth for eight saves.
For the Athletics, the Dominicans Ramón Laureano 4-1 with one run scored and one produced and Dermis García 1-0; Venezuelan Elvis Andrus 3-1 and Puerto Rican Vimael Machín 5-0.
For the Astros, the Dominican Jeremy Peña 4-2 with a run scored and two RBIs; Venezuelan José Altuve 5-1 with a run scored; Cuban Yuli Gurriel 4-2 and Puerto Rican Martín Maldonado 3-0.
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