Imai strikes out 9 to net 1st MLB win as Astros rout A's

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Christian Walker homered, doubled and drove in two runs as the Houston Astros routed the Athletics 11-0 on Saturday.

Walker finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored, while Joey Loperfido, Yainer Diaz and Christian Vázquez each added three hits as Houston matched a season high with 11 runs.

Tatsuya Imai (1-0) struck out nine over 5 2/3 scoreless innings while allowing three hits and three walks for Houston.

The Astros struck first in the opening inning. Jeremy Peña doubled and scored when José Altuve lined an RBI single to center. Walker followed later in the inning with an RBI single that brought home Yordan Alvarez for a 2-0 lead.

Walker extended the advantage in the third with a solo homer to left-center, his first of the season. The Astros added another run later in the inning when Vázquez doubled to left field, scoring Jake Meyers to make it 4-0.

Joey Loperfido hit a ground-rule double down the left-field line that scored Carlos Correa, and Diaz had a two-RBI single to stretch the Astros lead to 7-0 in the fourth.

Peña opened the fifth inning with a line drive up the middle for the 600th hit of his career.

Loperfido added an RBI single in the sixth before Vázquez delivered his second RBI double of the game. Alvarez later singled home another run as Houston scored three times in the inning to make it 10-0.

Cam Smith capped the scoring with a solo homer to left-center in the eighth.

Oakland managed five hits and went 0 for 2 with runners in scoring position. Luis Morales (0-2) surrendered five runs, eight hits, and six walks in the loss.

Up next

RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (1-0, 1.29 ERA) gets the start for the Astros, while LHP Jacob Lopez (0-1, 6.75 ERA) takes the mound for the Athletics in the final game of the series.