By Associated Press - Friday, August 18, 2017

HOUSTON (AP) - Dallas Keuchel threw seven shutout innings, Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve homered and the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 3-1 on Friday night.

Keuchel (11-2) allowed three hits, walked one and struck out three in a dominant performance. Keuchel had his second straight solid outing after allowing one run in 6 2/3 innings Sunday at Texas.

The 2015 AL Cy Young winner retired 14 of the first 15 batters he faced, with the lone hit being a bunt single by Matt Joyce down the third base line and away from the shift in the third inning. Of the 21 outs Keuchel recorded, 16 were ground balls.

Bregman and Altuve hit back-to-back home runs in the third to give Houston a 2-0 lead. Bregman hit his 14th of the season to right field, while Altuve hit his 19th into the Crawford Boxes in left field.

Josh Reddick upped the lead to 3-0 with an RBI single in the sixth.

Ken Giles recorded the final five outs for his 24th save.

Joyce, who was also walked by Keuchel, hit a solo home run in the eighth off Chris Devenski.

Sean Manaea (8-8) lost his third straight, allowing three runs and six hits in six innings. The left-hander had allowed six runs in each of his last three starts and had not pitched past the fourth since July 27.

TRAINING ROOM

Athletics: C Josh Phegley (oblique) was not in the starting lineup Friday for Triple-A Nashville as he continues a rehab assignment. Phegley is 2 for 7 with an RBI through two rehab games. . OF Jake Smolinski (right shoulder) continued his rehab assignment with Class- A Advanced Stockton on Friday. He is 5 for 18 in five games.

Astros: SS Carlos Correa (thumb) took ground balls, ran the bases and hit inside, manager A.J. Hinch said. . C Evan Gattis (concussion) took live batting practice against LHP Tony Sipp (right calf) and RHP Will Harris (right shoulder), Hinch said.

LAYNE INJURED

Home plate umpire Jerry Layne left the game with two outs in the bottom of the seventh after taking a foul ball by George Springer off his left wrist. The ball bounced up and hit Layne. He grabbed his wrist immediately, and after being attended to by the Astros trainer, walked off the field. Second base umpire Dan Bellino moved to home plate, and the game finished with three umpires.

UP NEXT

Athletics: RHP Kendall Graveman (3-3) will start Saturday looking to build on his last outing where he allowed two runs in seven innings in a win over Baltimore. Graveman is 1-1 with a 7.53 ERA since coming off the disabled list Aug. 3.

Astros: RHP Collin McHugh (0-2) makes his sixth start of the season Saturday looking for his first win. McHugh is 6-1 with a 3.02 ERA in his career against Oakland.

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