HOUSTON — Luis Valbuena hit a three-run, walk-off home run to cap a wild ninth inning and lift the Houston Astros to a 10-9 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Friday night at Minute Maid Park.
Valbuena’s 12th home run of the season came against Athletics closer Ryan Madson (3-3), drilling the first pitch into the upper deck in right field. Valbuena followed Jose Altuve, who singled with one out, and Carlos Correa, who reached on a wild pitch after striking out.
The Athletics (37-50) rallied for five runs in the top of the ninth, with Khris Davis drilling a two-run double off Michael Feliz (6-1), the Athletics’ fourth extra-base hit in the inning.
The Athletics initiated their five-run rally against Astros closer Will Harris, who had made 37 appearances without surrendering an extra-base hit this year. That streak ended when Billy Butler opened the ninth with a double and completely collapsed when Yonder Alonso followed with a two-run homer and Jed Lowrie added a one-out double.
Davis pushed the Athletics into an 8-7 lead with his double, scoring pinch-runner Tyler Ladendorf and Lowrie. Davis later scored when Josh Reddick added an RBI single to right field.
The Astros (47-40) surged to a 7-4 lead behind Correa, who was 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs, and their four-run fifth. They shook off a sluggish start against former Astros farmhand Daniel Mengden with a methodical approach while erasing a 3-0 deficit.
Altuve added an RBI and scored twice. Astros right-hander Collin McHugh survived a rocky fourth inning to work six-plus innings.
Oakland tagged McHugh for three runs and four hits in the fourth, including three hits in succession to open the inning.
Stephen Vogt scored Danny Valencia with his triple to center field and scored when Butler followed with an RBI single. McHugh appeared to steady himself by inducing a double-play ground ball, but shortstop Marcus Semien followed with his 19th home run for a 3-0 Athletics lead.
But McHugh recovered to pitch into the seventh inning, allowing just two more hits (both singles) before giving way to right-hander Ken Giles with two runners on and no outs.
Giles and Luke Gregerson followed by working one perfect inning each, but the Athletics rallied against Harris, only for Houston to do the same against Madson.
Mengden had the Astros confused early, utilizing his unique windup to positive results by the close of the third inning. A.J. Reed (walk) and Jake Marisnick (hit by pitch) reached in succession to open the third only for Mengden to rally with three strikeouts to keep the Astros hitless.
Houston began to break through in the fourth, with Altuve getting the Astros’ first hit of the game before Correa followed with a booming home run to left-center field that cut the deficit to 3-2.
Mengden responded with two more strikeouts to preserve the lead, but the wheels came off in the fifth when the Astros chased him from the mound. Four consecutive batters reached to open the inning with the Astros also producing four successive run-scoring plate appearances.
Marwin Gonzalez and Correa sandwiched RBI singles around an Altuve fielder’s choice that scored Jason Castro. Correa chased Mengden with his single to center field, scoring George Springer, and later scored when Valbuena greeted Athletics reliever Marc Rzepczynski with an opposite-field single to left that capped the four-run uprising.
When the damage was done, the Astros led 6-3 and Mengden departed after 4 2/3 innings pitched, giving up six hits and six runs with six strikeouts.
NOTES: Astros LF Colby Rasmus was not in the starting lineup due to an ear infection. It was not unusual for the left-handed-hitting Rasmus to sit against Athletics LHP Rich Hill in the series opener, but Rasmus was unable to go against RHP Daniel Mengden on Friday. Rasmus is batting .118 with one home run and three RBIs in six games this month after closing June with four multi-hit games in his last five starts. … Athletics CF Coco Crisp was suspended one game for tossing his bat at plate umpire D.J. Reyburn following his ejection on Thursday night. Crisp was protesting balls and strikes with his actions, with his bat striking Reyburn in the lower extremities. Crisp served his suspension on Friday. … Astros RF George Springer finished second to Blue Jays OF Michael Saunders on the American League Final Vote Ballot for a roster spot in the All-Star Game.