Astros take on the Athletics following Tucker’s 3-home run game #Astros #Athletics #Tuckers #3home #run #game

Houston Astros (55-43, second in the AL West) vs. Oakland Athletics (27-73, fifth in the AL West)

Oakland, California; Saturday, 9:07 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Astros: Cristian Javier (7-1, 4.39 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 89 strikeouts); Athletics: Paul Blackburn (1-2, 5.48 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 44 strikeouts)

Houston Astros' Kyle Tucker, right, watches his two-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Friday, July 21, 2023, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Kyle Tucker hit three home runs in a game for the first time in his career and drove in four runs, Alex Bregman also went deep and the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 6-4.

Houston Astros pitcher J.P. France throws to an Oakland Athletics batter during the seventh inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 20, 2023, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Rookie J.P. France struck out five while pitching into the eighth inning for the first time this season to win his third straight decision, Kyle Tucker hit a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth, and the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 3-1.

Oakland Athletics pitcher Shintaro Fujinami throws to a Boston Red Sox batter during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 18, 2023, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The Oakland Athletics have traded right-hander Shintaro Fujinami to the Baltimore Orioles for minor league left-hander Easton Lucas.

Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong, left, prepares to tag out Oakland Athletics' JJ Bleday at home during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, July 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

JJ Bleday, Cody Thomas and Jace Peterson each hit two-run home runs, and the Oakland Athletics won their second straight following an eight-game skid, beating the Boston Red Sox 6-5.

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Astros -198, Athletics +166; over/under is 8 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Houston Astros take on the Oakland Athletics after Kyle Tucker hit three home runs on Friday in a 6-4 win over the Athletics.

Oakland has a 27-73 record overall and a 14-38 record at home. The Athletics have a 14-25 record in games when they record at least eight hits.

Houston has a 55-43 record overall and a 30-21 record on the road. The Astros have the seventh-ranked team slugging percentage in the AL at .412.

Saturday’s game is the ninth time these teams match up this season. The Astros hold an 8-0 advantage in the season series.

TOP PERFORMERS:

Tucker has a .303 batting average to lead the Astros, and has 24 doubles and 17 home runs. Chas McCormick is 14-for-33 with four home runs and eight RBI over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Athletics: 2-8, .234 batting average, 5.42 ERA, outscored by 20 runs

Astros: 6-4, .240 batting average, 4.64 ERA, outscored by two runs

INJURIES: Athletics: Brent Rooker: day-to-day (illness), Ryan Noda: 10-Day IL (jaw), Yacksel Rios: 60-Day IL (finger), Manny Pina: 10-Day IL (wrist), Richard Lovelady: 15-Day IL (undisclosed), Esteury Ruiz: 10-Day IL (shoulder), Carlos Perez: 10-Day IL (thumb), James Kaprielian: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Mason Miller: 60-Day IL (elbow), Ramon Laureano: 10-Day IL (hand), Zach Jackson: 60-Day IL (elbow), Drew Rucinski: 60-Day IL (illness), Kevin Smith: 10-Day IL (back), Dany Jimenez: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

Astros: Jose Altuve: 10-Day IL (oblique), Jose Urquidy: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Michael Brantley: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Lance McCullers Jr.: 60-Day IL (elbow), Yordan Alvarez: 10-Day IL (oblique), Luis Garcia: 60-Day IL (elbow)