Astros loss to A's wastes another quiet night at plate

At Daikin Park in Houston, the Astros loss to A's came with a familiar problem. Mike Burrows gave up two more home runs, and Houston's offense stayed stuck for most of the night in a frustrating defeat to Oakland.

The result added to a rough stretch for a club that has leaned on pitching depth and timely hitting to stay in the race. This time, neither piece showed up long enough. Burrows could not keep the ball in the yard, and the bats never created much pressure against A's pitching.

Astros loss to A's turns on more long balls

Burrows' outing swung the game in Oakland's favor when the Athletics cashed in on mistakes and drove them out of the park. Giving up two homers in one start is hard enough. Doing it while Houston's lineup is quiet leaves almost no margin for error.

The Astros have survived uneven stretches before by limiting damage and finding late offense. That formula did not appear in this one. Oakland got the bigger hits, and Houston spent the night trying to claw back without much traffic on the bases.

Burrows has battled for innings and opportunities, so each outing matters. This start will stand out for the wrong reason because the home run ball changed the shape of the game fast. Houston never found the counterpunch it needed.

Houston offense never finds a rhythm

The Astros loss to A's was not only about the pitching line. Houston's lineup stayed quiet, and that has been the larger issue in games like this. A club built around steady contact and run production did not string together enough quality at-bats.

That puts extra stress on every starter, every reliever, and every late inning decision. One swing can erase a good stretch on the mound when the offense is sitting on a short total. Oakland took advantage of that pressure and kept Houston from building any momentum.

For the Astros, the next step is concrete. They need cleaner innings from the starter and more impact from the middle of the order in the next game of the series. A better offensive night would go a long way after another loss at Daikin Park.

This article is a summary of reporting by Houston Chronicle. Read the full story here.