Right-hander Jason Hammel continued to pitch better Sunday for the Athletics after a rotten stretch upon his acquisition from the Cubs.
Hammel yielded two runs on five hits in 6 2/3 innings against Houston. He walked one and fanned seven. He pitched six shutout innings before the Astros scored twice to take a 2-1 lead. Hammel has allowed just four runs in his last 21 2/3 innings, but is just 2-7 since arriving in Oakland.
He will try to make it 3-7 in a key game Friday in Seattle.