Houston: Evan Gattis hit a two-run homer to help Dallas Keuchel earn his eighth straight win as the Houston Astros kept rolling with a 6-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday.
The Astros improved to an American League-best 27-14, giving them the best start through 41 games in franchise history. Sitting atop the AL West, this is the latest the Astros have led their division since May 22, 2004.
Keuchel (6-0) allowed six hits and no earned runs in seven innings to lower his ERA to 1.67. He’s won eight straight decisions dating back to last year, which is the longest streak by a starter in the majors. And his 6-0 mark this year is the best by an Astro since Roger Clemens opened the 2004 season at 9-0.
Cleanup hitter Bryce Harper and manager Matt Williams were both ejected in the third inning, but Washington came back to beat New York on Denard Span’s tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh.
Harper, the National League Player of the Week twice in a row, entered with 10 homers in his previous 12 games.
In his second at-bat, he got into an argument with plate umpire Marvin Hudson after a first-pitch strike call and was tossed. Williams then came out of the dugout to move Harper out of the way and get in Hudson’s face, leading to the second ejection.
After getting kicked out, Williams went over and kicked dirt on home plate — with one swipe by each foot.
Span drove in an unearned, go-ahead run with a bases-loaded single off reliever Justin Wilson.
