WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Cam Smith hit two of Houston's five home runs and finished with four hits as the Astros routed the Athletics 13-3 on Tuesday night to halt their four-game winning streak.
Jason Alexander, claimed off waivers from the Athletics last month, pitched six shutout innings for Houston before tiring in the seventh. Mauricio Dubón, Christian Walker and Cooper Hummel also homered for the Astros.
Smith and Dubón went back-to-back in the fourth inning.
Smith connected for leadoff shots in the second and fourth. He drove in three runs and scored three times. The 22-year-old rookie has five major league homers — and two multihomer games.
Dubón followed Smith's second home run with his second this season for a 5-0 lead against A's starter JP Sears, who walked the bases loaded in the first before giving up a two-run single to Jake Meyers.
Smith finished off his first four-hit game with an RBI double in the eighth.
Alexander (1-0) threw a season-high 95 pitches in his 12th career start and first since Sept. 18, 2022, with Milwaukee. He allowed three runs — two earned — and three hits.
Walker hit his 10th homer, a two-run shot off Osvaldo Bido, and Isaac Paredes added a two-run single for a 9-0 lead in the fifth.
Dubón singled off T.J. McFarland to begin the seventh and Hummel followed with his first big league homer since Oct. 3, 2022, with Arizona.
Gio Urshela, just reinstated from the injured list, went 2 for 2 off the bench and had an RBI single to drive in the first of three runs in the seventh for the A’s.
Sears (5-6) gave up five runs and five hits in 3 1/3 innings. Rookie catcher Willie MacIver pitched a scoreless ninth.
Key moment
Houston claimed Alexander off waivers from the Athletics on May 18 and assigned him to Triple-A Sugar Land before calling him up Monday. He allowed 12 earned runs in six innings over four relief appearances for the A’s.
Key stat
Houston has won the season series against the A's in nine of the past 10 years.
Up next
Astros LHP Framber Valdez (7-4, 3.10 ERA) starts Wednesday opposite Athletics RHP Luis Severino (2-6, 4.47).
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The Associated Press