OAKLAND -- Astros starter Brad Peacock admitted that, on the play that won Monday's game, he thought the tying run would score for the A's.
But a relay from right fielder George Springer to shortstop Carlos Correa to catcher Evan Gattis nailed A's infielder Chad Pinder at the plate, preserving Houston's lead. The Astros didn't allow another run and beat the A's, 4-1, in Oakland.
"The three of them had to work together seamlessly," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "There wasn't much room for error. When the ball was hit, I thought both of them were going to score. But we fundamentally made the play."
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With A's outfielder Matt Joyce on second and Pinder on first as the Astros led, 2-0, Jed Lowrie drilled a slider from Peacock to right-center. Springer fielded the ball near the 388-foot marker in a dead sprint away from the infield, then took three steps before turning and firing to the infield on his back foot to Correa, the relay man.
"The goal is to get the ball as fast as I can, because I know that [Pinder] can run," Springer said. "Just get the ball to Correa and let him handle it. It was a bad throw, but he helped me out. He threw a seed from a lot farther away than I did."
As Joyce scored from second, Correa fielded the ball on a hop and rifled it home to Gattis, who caught it and tagged Pinder as he attempted to score the tying run.
"In our team, we focus a lot on defense," Correa said. "We try to do the best we can to help our pitchers and help our team have a chance to win games. It was a great play overall."
A's manager Bob Melvin felt that acting third-base coach Steve Scarsone, who was in his first game in the role, made the right decision to send Pinder.
"At that point in time, you got to send him and take a chance," Melvin said. "We know Correa has a good arm, but we weren't doing a whole lot, and when you get an opportunity to potentially tie the game, you got to send him."
It was the last out of Peacock's night, getting pulled after 5 2/3 innings when he walked the next batter. Right-hander Will Harris came in and got Yonder Alonso to ground out and end the sixth. Peacock, who picked up his fourth win of the season, was thankful the play worked out.
"Right when I saw it out of Carlos' hand, I knew it was going to be a good throw," Peacock said. "That was a lot of fun to watch, and I appreciate them for that."