Trading places? Not quite as Astros continue winning ways against Athletics

The Athletics came to Houston in an unfamiliar position Monday night with a three-game lead on the struggling fourth-place Astros.

The end result was all too familiar, with Houston getting a pair of home runs from Alex Bregman and an eighth-inning two-run double and beating the A’s 9-2 at Minute Maid Park.

Houston improved to 16-25, with the A’s to 19-24 after the first game of a four-game series.

The Astros, who scored six runs in the seventh and eighth innings, have won...