HOUSTON - Jeff Samardzija pitched eight solid innings and Josh Donaldson drove in three runs to lead the Oakland Athletics over the Houston Astros 8-2 Monday night.
Samardzija (4-3) allowed six hits, two runs and tied a season high with 10 strikeouts to bounce back from a two-game skid in which he yielded 11 runs combined. The right-hander was 2-7 with the Chicago Cubs before an early July trade.
Josh Reddick hit a two-run homer and Donaldson had three hits after sitting out Sunday with a knee injury. Donaldson doubled twice for his first extra-base hits and RBIs in his last nine games.
Reddick's 10th home run sailed into the seats in right field to push Oakland's lead to 3-0 in the fourth.
Chris Carter hit an opposite-field, two-run homer in the eighth to pull the Astros within one, but the A's added five runs in the ninth to extend the lead to 8-2.
Scott Feldman (7-10) allowed seven hits and three runs in seven innings.
The Astros couldn't string anything together against Samardzija through the first seven innings. They didn't have more than one hit in an inning until the eighth, when Jose Altuve singled before Carter's homer.
Houston reliever Tony Sipp, who had allowed just 10 walks in his previous 41 innings, walked all four batters he faced in the ninth to push Oakland's lead to 4-2. Donaldson's bases-loaded double off Jose Veras sent two more home, and Derek Norris wrapped up the scoring with a two-run single.
Eric Sogard doubled to start the third and scored on Donaldson's first hit -- a two-out double -- to put Oakland up 1-0. Brandon Moss singled in the fourth before Reddick homered.
Carter's 31 home runs rank third in the American League and his 18 homers and 44 RBIs since July 1 lead the majors. Altuve's hit gave him 179 this season, which leads the AL. The pair has carried Houston's offense since the All-Star break while the Astros have dealt with numerous injuries.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Athletics: Manager Bob Melvin said INF Nick Punto (hamstring) is making progress and has been taking grounders. Melvin didn't give a timetable on Punto's return, but said he's "starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel with him."
Astros: RHP Brad Peacock, who left his last start after five innings because of a sore forearm, will make his scheduled start Wednesday. Manager Bo Porter said Peacock is fine and he was removed mostly as a precaution.
NEW CATCHER
Melvin said he'll probably start new catcher Geovany Soto on Tuesday night and put Norris at designated hitter. Soto was acquired from Texas for cash on Sunday with C John Jaso on the seven-day concussion disabled list. Soto has appeared in only 10 games this season after starting the year on the disabled list following knee surgery in March before another stint on the DL because of a groin injury.
UP NEXT
Oakland RHP Jason Hammel is scheduled to start Tuesday after his previous turn in the rotation was skipped because of two off days last week. Hammel is 1-5 with a 6.75 ERA in seven starts since being traded from the Cubs on July 5.
Houston LHP Dallas Keuchel looks for his first win since July 30.
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