Three straight bunts left the Houston Astros in shambles.
The Oakland Athletics laid down three consecutive bunts to start the top of the 12th inning Tuesday night in Houston, scoring two runs to break a 2-2 tie in an eventual 4-3 win, preventing the Astros from opening a larger lead in the AL West.
The Mariners also lost to the Padres at home Tuesday, keeping Houston’s division lead at 4 1/2 games.
With Hector Neris on the mound and Zack Gelof on second as the automatic runner, Daz Cameron laid down a perfect bunt to reach for a single as Gelof advanced to third.
Max Schuemann followed with his own bunt and Neris spiked the throw home into the infield grass, allowing Gelof to score the go-ahead run, Schuemann to reach first on a sacrifice and Cameron to advance to third base.
Nick Allen then sent a bunt soaring past first baseman Yainer Diaz, allowing Cameron to score as Jose Altuve flipped the ball to second to get Schuemann out.
Jacob Wilson grounded into a double play to end the inning.
“That was well-executed,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “Obviously, Daz was bunting for a hit … We had a couple of guys up there that can bunt and they do a good job with it with Schuman and Allen. We took our chances there getting a run.”
Houston manager Joe Espada was disappointed in his team’s defense in the 12th.
“We just didn’t do a good job of handling the ball there in that inning,” Espada said.
Altuve hit an RBI double leading off the bottom half off Hogan Harris (4-3), who retired the next three batters. Houston went 2-for-17 with runners in scoring position.
“We battled to the end,” Espada said. “We had the right guys at the plate when we wanted to and we just couldn’t — it was just one of those games.”
Bryan Abreu previously struck out the side in the 11th for Houston.
Houston had a runner on third with two outs in the 10th when Jeremy Peña hit a fly ball to right field, but Cameron made a diving catch to rob him of a hit and end the inning.
“Right away I thought to myself (go) in, and I made a sick catch,” Cameron said. “The ball was tailing away and I dove at it and caught it. It was good knowing it kept us in the game to win it.”