Pomeranz pays for mistakes in 2nd start

HOUSTON -- Drew Pomeranz was rather spoiled in his first start last week, drawing 11 runs of support while tossing seven scoreless innings against the Mariners. On Wednesday, his A's teammates mustered just one run in Houston, and by the time they got it, Pomeranz had already allowed two.

The lefty was stung by former teammate Jed Lowrie in the bottom of the first inning of a 6-1 loss to the Astros, offering up a two-run home run to the shortstop, and again in the third, when Lowrie pounced on a curveball for a run-scoring double to right field.

"I know he's got the great fastball and likes to pitch up in the zone because he's got the hard curveball," said Lowrie. "Likes to match the plane with his fastball. Just left a pitch up over the plate in the first at-bat, and the second at-bat I put a pretty good swing on a pretty good pitch and was able to drive it the other way."

Video: OAK@HOU: Lowrie's no-doubter gives Astros quick lead

Lowrie would be Pomeranz's final batter in the sixth, drawing a leadoff walk. That was the only free pass Pomeranz issued in his five-plus innings of work, but he was on the hook for four runs on six hits. The lefty also had five strikeouts.

Pomeranz fell to 0-2 with a 6.28 ERA -- 10 earned runs in 14 1/3 innings -- in four career appearances (three starts) against the Astros, all in Houston.

"He didn't pitch bad," said A's manager Bob Melvin. "We just didn't score any runs for him."

"He was able to get some bad swings on some good pitches," said catcher Stephen Vogt. "He just made some mistakes over the plate like he didn't in his first outing, and they did a great job of taking advantage of them."

Pomeranz reiterated as much.

"I missed a few spots, gave up a couple hits," said the lefty, who has pitched five innings or fewer in 31 of his 42 career starts. "That's really how it went.

"It's pretty frustrating. I felt pretty good out there, just a few mistakes got away from me."