The Oakland Athletics improved their season record to 40-62 after a commanding 4-0 victory over the Houston Astros, who now stand at 52-48. The game, held at the Oakland Coliseum, showcased the Athletics' ability to capitalize on both pitching and hitting fronts.

Jul 22, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Hogan Harris (63) pitches the ball against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The Athletics' offense came alive in the third inning, putting up three runs thanks to a combination of hits and an error by the Astros. Another run in the fourth inning solidified their lead. Overall, both teams matched each other with eight hits apiece, but it was Oakland's timely hitting that made the difference. Notably, JJ Bleday stood out with an impressive batting average of .750 for the game, including reaching base three out of four times he was at bat and slugging for a total base percentage of 1.000.

On the pitching side, Hogan Harris delivered an outstanding performance as a starter for the Athletics by maintaining a 0.00 ERA across his appearance while striking out nine batters over six innings pitched. His WHIP stood at 1.35 indicating his control over allowing runners on base was effective despite some challenges.

Jul 22, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (3) is unable to make a play as the ball goes between the legs of Oakland Athletics second baseman Zack Gelof (20) during the fourth inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The bullpen also held its ground with Lucas Erceg showcasing his skill by not allowing any runs and keeping his ERA at 0.00 while striking out two batters in just two innings pitched.

Defensively, aside from one error committed by Maxwell Schuemann which did not lead to any runs for Houston, Oakland played a solid game. Schuemann made up for this with his performance at bat where he achieved an on-base percentage of .667.

Jul 22, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Spencer Arrighetti (41) pitches the ball against the Oakland Athletics during the fourth inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

For Houston Astros fans looking for highlights from their team’s performance despite being shutout; they managed eight hits but were unable to convert these opportunities into runs due largely to Oakland’s tight defense and effective pitching strategy that left fourteen Astros players stranded on base throughout nine innings.

Looking ahead, fans can anticipate another exciting matchup as The Athletics are set to host The Astros once again at Oakland Coliseum on July 23rd at 9:40 PM EDT. This game will be broadcasted live on SCHN network providing fans another opportunity to catch these two teams in action as they continue their series in this season's regular games.

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