Astros’ Christian Walker calls out team after brutal meltdown vs. Athletics

The Houston Astros suffered one of their most damaging losses of the season Sunday, surrendering a six-run advantage before falling 7-6 to the Athletics at Daikin Park. The defeat left Houston at 65-66 and erased the three-game AL West lead it held after its Aug. 14 win over the Seattle Mariners. The Astros and Texas Rangers are now tied atop the division, with Houston holding the tiebreaker.

The Astros appeared in control after scoring three runs in the first inning, adding another in the second and two more in the fourth. Jose Altuve hit a two-run homer for his 14th of the season, while Isaac Paredes added a two-run shot in the fourth to make it 6-0.

The A’s responded with six runs in the fifth. Brian Serven started the comeback with a three-run homer, while Lawrence Butler produced an RBI double and Tommy White lined a two-run single to bring the Athletics level. Max Muncy then hit a solo homer against Steven Okert in the seventh to put the A’s ahead permanently.

Veteran Christian Walker, who had hit the walk-off homer that beat the Mariners on Aug. 14, expressed frustration with the way Houston handled the game.

“You can’t take anybody lightly or take anybody for granted,” said Walker. “That being said, we should be disappointed in the way we played, regardless of who’s across the field from us. We’re a better team than that. Holding the leads, scoring runs late, we’re capable of all those things, so we’re disappointed in ourselves regardless of who’s on the field with us.

“It’s like, f— we let some games slip away from us,” Walker went on to add. “We’re better team than this. We should expect more out of ourselves. You know, it’s not doubting, it’s not questioning or second-guessing. It’s just, you know, being pissed off because we know we’re capable of more.”

The loss was the first time since May 27, 2011, against the Arizona Cardinals that the Astros blew a six-run home lead and lost. The bullpen also surrendered seven runs across 8⅓ innings during the final two games of the series against the Athletics.

Yordan Alvarez remained in the game after fouling a ball off his foot in the fourth. He also received three intentional walks, matching a franchise record, while his 28th intentional walk of the season surpassed Jeff Bagwell’s previous Houston record.

Manager Joe Espada missed Sunday’s game because of a family emergency, leaving bench coach Omar Lopez to manage.

Houston now has Monday off before opening a three-game series versus the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.

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