Elephant Rumblings: A’s clinch series, bid to sweep Astros

MLB news roundup

Happy Wednesday, Athletics Nation!

The Astros came to Oakland this week with a 6-1 advantage in the season series between the two teams, but the A’s have been exacting sweet revenge over the past two games of the current series at the Coliseum as Lawrence Butler, Brent Rooker, and JJ Bleday continue to swing hot bats for an Oakland club that has been among baseball’s best offensive teams in July.

Back in May, the Astros swept four games in Houston and took two of three in Oakland; the A’s scored all of 10 runs in total in those seven games. But this week, the boys in green and gold are poppin’ off at the plate: they’ve outscored the Astros 12-2 in two games to clinch the series.

Today, the A’s have a chance to sweep the Astros and keep hopes alive to win the season series with another sweep in September, when the teams play their final series in Houston.

With yesterday’s win, the A’s have won three straight series. A sweep of the trashcan-banging Astros could really make this month feel like an inflection point at which the New Oakland A’s (savor the irony of that) have begun to gel into a cohesive young team with some winning talent. Let’s go, Oakland!

A’s Coverage:

• Five homers lifts A’s over Astros
• A’s Could Get Stripling, Blackburn Back This Week
• Injuries & Moves: Second-rounder ‘Tommy Tanks’ signs
• Why A’s closer Miller prefers bullpen over starter role
• How A’s closer Miller turned diabetes diagnosis into MLB success
• Get to know Nick Kurtz, A’s No. 4 overall pick
• Jacob Wilson on Rocketing His Way to Oakland
• Forst hints at A’s straying from familiar trade deadline approach

MLB News & Interest:

• MLB Power Rankings: The readers have spoken and the Phillies stay on top, Pirates level up ($)
• Eno Sarris’ starting pitcher rankings for the second half ($)
• MLB trade deadline report: Drilling down on interesting arms and bats and teams’ needs ($)
• Mariners Designate Ty France For Assignment; Place Julio Rodríguez, J.P. Crawford On Injured List
• Dodgers Interested In Randy Arozarena
• Orioles Willing To Trade Ryan Mountcastle, Cedric Mullins
• Mets Sign Jackie Bradley Jr. To Minor League Deal
• Red Sox Interested In James Paxton
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Roster moves.

Number one with a bullet.

Max and Reba.

I’d pay a buck or two to see those shows.