HOUSTON - The A’s bullpen issues seem always to strike the hardest against the Astros, and so it is again this week.
Tuesday night, it was Liam Hendriks, who allowed three runs in the ninth, forcing manager Bob Melvin to go to closer Santiago Casilla to preserve the A’s win in the opener. Wednesday, it was long reliever Josh Smith, who came in with two on and no outs in the third and gave up four hits, a walk and three runs.