Bats freeze in middle game loss to A's

Photo courtesy of Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Houston managed to scrounge up only two runs in eight hits, and left 18 men on base in their first home loss of the year, a 6-2 defeat at the hands of the visiting Oakland A's.

It was an early duel between Astros' starter Lance McCullers Jr. and Oakland's Sean Manaea. Both starters held their opposing lineups to zero runs through the first three frames.

Though McCullers Jr. would again suffer from issues with control and walks -- issuing three in his outing -- he was still overall effective, accumulating six strikeouts on the evening. He was pulled after five innings, allowing only one run.

Manaea was equally effective, going six innings with only one run allowed and four strikeouts.

The Astros hitters struggled all evening to string together hits, a problem that hadn't presented itself in the team's first series against the A's in Oakland. In addition to the 18 men left on base, the Astros were 0-9 with runners in scoring position through nine innings.

That problem would magnify after Matt Olson clubbed a three-run home run in the top of the eighth inning, with Mark Canha following suit with his own two-run shot in the top of the ninth. It would be too late at that point, as the only run Houston would manage in the last inning was a sacrifice fly courtesy of José Altuve.

In the Astros' last meeting with Manaea, they tagged the southpaw for five runs in four and two-thirds innings on the fourth of April. In Friday's outing, Manaea held the Astros to under four runs for the first time in the new season.

McCullers Jr. after the game expressed frustration about not being able to go deeper in Friday's contest. "I understand the game plan and matching up and all that kind of stuff, but I always feel like, ‘Man, I really had at least one more solid inning in me.'"

"I just want to be out there all night," McCullers Jr. added. "I've got to wait too long between starts."

The Astros will have a chance to take the rubber match on Saturday. José Urquidy will slot in against Frankie Montas. First pitch is scheduled for 4 PM CT.