Athletics Erase Six-Run Hole in Houston, Win 7-6
ATH def. HOU · August 23, 2026 · Final: Athletics 7, Astros 6
Oakland trailed 6-0 through four innings in Houston, their win probability sitting at 3.6% after Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth to push the lead to six. The hole looked close to insurmountable.
Then came the fifth.
Oakland catcher Brian Serven started it in the top of the fifth, sending a three-run homer to left center that brought Donovan Walton and Darell Hernaiz home and cut the deficit to three, making it 6-3. Right fielder Lawrence Butler followed with a line drive double to left that scored Henry Bolte and moved Zack Gelof to third, pulling the Athletics within two at 6-4. First baseman Tommy White then grounded a single to right, scoring both Gelof and Butler to tie it at 6-6. In the span of one half-inning, Oakland had climbed all the way back from six runs down.
The game held there through the sixth.
In the top of the seventh, Oakland designated hitter Max Muncy settled it. Muncy drove a fly ball to center for his seventh home run of the season, giving the Athletics a 7-6 lead — the first and only lead change of the afternoon.
Houston did not score again.
Oakland Athletics 7, Houston Astros 6.
The Comeback
- Largest deficit
- 6 runs — in the bottom of the 4th
- Win-probability nadir
- 3.6% (down 6 in the bottom of the 4th)
- Lead flipped for good
- top of the 7th
- Lead changes
- 1
- Final
- ATH 7, HOU 6 — won by 1
Scoring Summary
| Inn. | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| B1 | Isaac Paredes out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Henry Bolte. Jeremy Peña scores. | 0-1 |
| B1 | Jose Altuve homers (14) on a fly ball to left center field. Yordan Alvarez scores. | 0-3 |
| B2 | Jose Altuve walks. Cam Smith scores. Yordan Alvarez to 3rd. Isaac Paredes to 2nd. | 0-4 |
| B4 | Isaac Paredes homers (17) on a fly ball to left field. Jeremy Peña scores. | 0-6 |
| T5 | Brian Serven homers (4) on a fly ball to left center field. Donovan Walton scores. Darell Hernaiz scores. | 3-6 |
| T5 | Lawrence Butler doubles (14) on a line drive to left fielder LaMonte Wade Jr. Henry Bolte scores. Zack Gelof to 3rd. | 4-6 |
| T5 | Tommy White singles on a ground ball to right fielder Cam Smith. Zack Gelof scores. Lawrence Butler scores. | 6-6 |
| T7 | Max Muncy homers (7) on a fly ball to center field. | 7-6 |
Box score
▸
Line score
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATH | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 1 |
| HOU | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 0 |
ATHWinning team
Batting
| Batter | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry BolteCF | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .270 |
| Carlos CortesLF | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .261 |
| Zack Gelof3B | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .258 |
| Lawrence ButlerRF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | .220 |
| Tommy White1B | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .262 |
| Max MuncyDH | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .215 |
| Donovan Walton2B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .284 |
| Darell HernaizSS | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .233 |
| Brian ServenC | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | .233 |
Pitching
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | NP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brady Basso | 1.0 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| Jack Perkins | 5.0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 91 |
| Scott Blewett | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Luis Medina | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 16 |
| Hogan Harris | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14 |
HOULosing team
Batting
| Batter | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy PeñaSS | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .284 |
| Yordan AlvarezDH | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | .320 |
| Isaac Paredes3B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | .260 |
| Jose Altuve2B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | .245 |
| Daulton VarshoCF | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .231 |
| Christian Walker1B | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .233 |
| LaMonte Wade Jr.LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .213 |
| Taylor TrammellRF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .214 |
| Yainer DiazC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .253 |
| Cam SmithRF | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .215 |
| Christian VázquezC | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .217 |
Pitching
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | NP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cristian Javier | 4.0 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 90 |
| Enyel De Los Santos | 0.1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 25 |
| Kai-Wei Teng | 1.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 28 |
| Steven Okert | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 14 |
| AJ Blubaugh | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 |
| Josh Hader | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 16 |