Rewind to May 16. The Houston Astros just completed a four-game sweep of what looked like the same old Oakland Athletics, headed for another dismal season in the AL West cellar.
Fast forward to today and a vastly altered bright-future A’s team just clinched their second series win in a row against those very same Astros. Though still the division leaders, they’re a surmountable four-game lead over the Seattle Mariners and would rather coast into the playoffs than crawl into it.
And that brings to our noble green and gold spoilers. Per usual, the A’s were anchored by the superstar bat of Brent Rooker, who kicked off his team’s scoring in the top of the third with a one-out single to the opposite field, knocking in Max Schuemann who’d just stolen third base.