Cristian Javier twirled six shutout innings in a bounce-back performance while Joey Loperfido clubbed his first career home run as the Houston Astros completed a four-game sweep of the visiting Oakland Athletics with an 8-1 victory on Thursday.
Javier (3-1), shelled for seven runs in 1 1/13 innings by the Detroit Tigers in his previous outing, breezed through his second start following his return from the injured list. He allowed only three baserunners and struck out a season-high eight batters, recording at least one strikeout in every frame excluding the sixth.
Javier struck out five of the first eight batters he faced before surrendering a two-out single to Oakland shortstop and nine-hole hitter Max Schuemann in the top of the third inning.
Javier issued a two-out walk to Athletics first baseman Tyler Soderstrom in the fourth but sandwiched that free pass with strikeouts of Brent Rooker and Kyle McCann, the latter to cap that frame.
When Oakland third baseman Abraham Toro doubled with one out in the sixth, it marked just the second fly ball to the outfield surrendered by Javier.
After enduring the shortest start of his career in Detroit, Javier threw 80 pitches, 52 for strikes, in stifling the Athletics, who were swept in a four-game set for the first time since last May.