Astros 7, Athletics 5: Spence's First Three Homers Keep Houston Tied

Three firsts, and a West race that would not die

September 24, 2026 - West Sacramento - Lucas Spence had never homered in the majors. Then he hit three in one night. A three-run shot to right-center in the second, Statcast at 429 feet, Christian Walker and Cam Smith scoring with him. A solo fly to right-center off Scott Blewett in the seventh that broke a 4-4 tie. A first-pitch homer to right off Elvis Alvarado to lead off the ninth. The Houston Astros beat the Athletics 7-5 at Sutter Health Park. Spence went 3-for-4 with five RBI. Houston stayed tied with Texas for first in the American League West at 79-80.

Partly cloudy. 87 degrees. Wind 6 mph out to right. First pitch 6:41 p.m. Attendance 9,367. The game lasted 2 hours, 42 minutes. Houston had 10 hits. The Athletics had 11. Nobody made an error. Every run came on a home run.

"It was really shocking, to be honest," Spence said, per the MLB recap. "Just really trying to get base hits, but sometimes you run into a couple of homers, so it's always good."

The MLB recap said Spence became the third player in major-league history to hit his first three career homers in the same game, after Joshua Báez of the Cardinals on Aug. 15 and Seby Zavala of the White Sox.

Four for the Athletics in the third, then Ullola

Peter Lambert did not finish the third. He lasted 2 2/3: six hits, four earned, two walks, six strikeouts, two homers, 62 pitches. Jeff McNeil hit a three-run fly to right-center, Jonah Heim and Shea Langeliers scoring. 3-3. Zack Gelof followed with his 21st, a fly to center. 3-4.

Bryan King threw 1 1/3 scoreless with three strikeouts. Miguel Ullola (the win) threw three scoreless: one hit, no walks, three strikeouts, 35 pitches. Bennett Sousa allowed Gelof's 22nd in the eighth. 6-5 after Walker had just gone deep. Bryan Abreu (the save) threw 1 1/3 scoreless.

Mason Barnett lasted six: four hits, four earned, two walks, eight strikeouts, two homers, 87 pitches. He gave up Spence's first and Isaac Paredes's 24th, a fly to left that tied it 4-4 in the sixth. Blewett (the loss) allowed Spence's second through one inning. Chris Roycroft allowed Walker's 27th in the eighth. Alvarado allowed the third.

"It's a great moment," manager Joe Espada said, per MLB.com. "I enjoy watching young players come up here on the biggest stage there is. We needed some of those kids to step up and do big things, and he just delivered. Yesterday, they threw some fastballs by him. He comes today and makes some adjustments and hits three homers in a much-needed win."

Gelof twice, McNeil once, and a tie that holds

Gelof went 2-for-3 with two homers, a walk, two RBI, and two runs. McNeil went 2-for-4 with a homer, a double, and three RBI. Lawrence Butler went 3-for-5 with a double and no RBI. The Athletics are 63-96. They led 4-3 after three and still lost because Spence would not stop.

Walker went 2-for-4 with his 27th. Paredes went 1-for-4 with a walk. Yordan Alvarez went 1-for-4 with a walk. Yainer Diaz went 0-for-4. Jeremy Peña went 1-for-5. The lineup around Spence did enough. Spence did the rest.

Texas beat the Mets 3-1 earlier. Houston has the tiebreaker and three more against the Athletics. Texas goes to Minnesota. The Astros control their own West. Thursday was the night a rookie outfielder made that sentence true for one more weekend.

AthX Engine after the baseball

AthX Engine (our projection and scoring system) put Houston at 12 team fantasy points, tied for third. Spence had 20 hitting FP, the night's highest individual total. Ullola had 13 pitching FP. Gelof had 13 hitting FP in a loss. McNeil had 9. Walker and Paredes each had 7.

Fantasy points measure the night under platform scoring rules. Share prices also move with traders through dynamic pricing. They are related. They are not the same number.

Marketplace

*Sources: MLB.com schedule; MLB Gameday wrap; ESPN scoreboard; ESPN box score; AthX Engine daily scoring. Information only; not financial advice.*