(Photo credit score: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images)
Christian Walker and Cam Smith hit homers and the Houston Astros recorded 18 hits as they blasted the Athletics 11-0 on Saturday afternoon in West Sacramento, Calif.
Tatsuya Imai (1-0) threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings with 9 strikeouts to earn his first profession main league win. The 27-year-old right-hander from Japan signed a three-year cope with Houston this offseason.
Imai left two runners on base as he exited within the sixth inning defending a 10-0 lead, however Kai-Wei Teng got here in to get the third out and hold the shutout intact.
After 2 1/3 innings from Teng, Steven Okert labored the ninth and preserved the Astros pitching workers’s first shutout this season.
Walker, Joey Loperfido and Yainer Diaz and Christian Vazquez led the best way for Houston with three hits and two RBIs every.
A’s starter Luis Morales (0-2) was below siege from the opening pitch, as as 4 of the primary 5 Astros to the plate reached base and Houston took an early 2-0 lead with RBI singles by Jose Altuve and Walker.
Walker then hit the primary pitch of the third over the left area fence for his first house run of 2026.
Later within the body, the Athletics’ protection let Morales down when Tyler Soderstrom misplaced a fly ball within the solar in left area and it dropped in for an unconventional RBI double for Vazquez.
Morales gave up 5 runs in three-plus innings, permitting eight hits and 6 walks. Changing pitchers didn’t reverse the A’s fortunes, as Houston added three runs off reliever Elvis Alvarado with an RBI double for Loperfido and a two-run single by Diaz.
Loperfido and Vazquez received their second RBIs of the afternoon with base hits within the sixth, earlier than Yordan Alvarez – who drew a stroll in every of his first 4 plate appearances – added on with an RBI single.
Smith capped off the Astros’ offensive outburst with a pinch-hit solo shot within the eighth.
Max Muncy had two of the Athletics’ 4 hits. That is his second multi-hit sport in as many days.
–Field Level Media