Game No. 140 Preview: Houston Astros vs. Oakland Athletics

Houston Astros (86-53) vs. Oakland Athletics (59-80), Sept. 8, 2017, 9:05 PM CT

TV: AT&T SportsNet-SW
Radio: KBME 790 AM, La Nueva 94.1 FM
Online: MLB.TV
Athletics SBNation Blog: Athletics Nation

Pitching Matchup

RHP Collin McHugh (2-2, 3.25 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, .306 BABIP, 3.60 xFIP) vs. RHP Jharel Cotton (7-10, 5.53 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, .282 BABIP, 5.47 xFIP)

Preview

The Astros are back. Back from outer space...

Houston has won six in a row. The magic number for the Division title is under double digits. And now the Astros rush toward the title for against the A’s, the team the Astros are 25-9 against over the past two seasons.

In game one of a four-game series, the Astros will send out likely their game-four starter in the playoffs, Collin McHugh.

McHugh was 2-2 with a 2.94 ERA in six starts during the month of August. He allowed just four runs over his last 21 ¹⁄₃ innings. A great run but McHugh did have a short outing in his last go around. He allowed one unearned run over 4 ²⁄₃ innings against the Rangers on 91 pitches.

McHugh is 7-1 with a 2.73 ERA in 10 career starts against the A’s. He pitched six scoreless innings in one previous outing in 2017 on Aug. 19.

Marcus Semien is 10-for-21 against McHugh with a home run and four strikeouts against McHugh in his career. Jed Lowrie is 4-for-11.

Jharel Cotton goes for the A’s in game one. He was 2-2 with a 5.16 ERA in five starts in August. He allowed four runs on seven hits over four innings in his last start on Sept. 2 against he Mariners.

Cotton is 1-1 with a 3.18 ERA in three career starts against the Astros.