ESPN News Services Sep 25, 2026, 12:59 AM ET WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Lucas Spence hit the first three home runs of his major league career, Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes also homered, and the Houston Astros outlasted the Athletics 7-5 on Thursday night. Houston (79-80) remains tied with the Texas Rangers for the American League West lead with three games left in the regular season for both teams. The Astros have the tiebreaker with a 9-4 record against Texas this year.

Spence hit a three-run shot to open the scoring in the second inning. He hit his second home run in the seventh inning to give Houston a 5-4 lead. Walker followed with his 27th of the season in the eighth before Spence capped the scoring with his third of the game in the ninth.

Spence, who was called up by the Astros on Wednesday, had just 40 major league at-bats before the game. He joined Joshua Baez (Aug. 15) and Seby Zavala (July 31, 2021) as the only players in major league history to hit each of his first three career home runs in the same game."It's super enjoyable looking back at it," Spence told reporters. "Just take it one at-bat at a time. Really just trying to hit base hits, but sometimes you run into a couple homers."It was really shocking, to be honest.

I've never hit three in a day. So super cool, super exciting."Astros rookie Miguel Ullola (2-0) worked three scoreless innings of relief after starter Peter Lambert gave up four runs on six hits in 2⅔ innings. Bryan Abreu allowed one hit through the final 1⅓ frames for his ninth save.

The Athletics' Jeff Mc Neil hit a three-run homer in the third to tie the score, and Zack Gelof added a solo shot to give the Athletics a 4-3 lead in the next at-bat. Gelof's second home run of the game in the eighth pulled the Athletics within a run. Scott Blewett (2-2) surrendered the go-ahead run in the seventh after Athletics starter Mason Barnett pitched a career-high six innings, giving up four runs on four hits.

Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press was used in this report.