Jeremy Peña's two homers weren't enough as the Astros fell to the Athletics 5-3 on June 18, 2025. See how the A's snapped Houston's winning streak.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a classic case of one player doing everything he could, but baseball is a team sport. Jeremy Peña single-handedly provided all of the Astros' offense with a spectacular two-homer performance on Wednesday, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Oakland Athletics, who snapped Houston's four-game winning streak with a 5-3 victory.
Jeremy Peña was the entire Astros offense, going 2-for-3 with two home runs and all three of the team's RBIs.
From the batter's box, Jeremy Peña was simply unstoppable. He accounted for all of Houston's runs, launching two solo shots that electrified the dugout and gave the team a fighting chance. His 2-for-3 night raised his season batting average to an impressive .320. It was a powerful reminder of how crucial the star shortstop is to this lineup, capable of changing the game with a single swing.
While Peña was lighting it up at the plate, it was a different story on the mound. Starting pitcher Jason Alexander battled through six innings but couldn't quite contain the A's offense. He was tagged for five runs, and while he managed five strikeouts, five walks proved costly, putting runners on base for Oakland to capitalize. It was a tough outing that ultimately put the game just out of reach for the Astros' offense.
Yes, seeing a winning streak end is always a bummer, especially to a division rival. But let's zoom out. The Astros are still firmly in first place in the AL West with a solid 41-31 record. This loss is just a small blip in what has been a fantastic month. The team is 10-3 in June with a staggering +25 run differential, proving they are one of the hottest teams in baseball. One loss doesn't change that.
The streak may be over, but the mission remains the same. The Astros will look to bounce back and take the series against the A's in tomorrow's finale. With the offense clicking and a strong overall record for the month, expect Houston to come out firing, ready to prove that Wednesday's loss was the exception, not the rule.
