Astros 4, Athletics 3: Chris Carter continued his recent hot streak with a go-ahead home run in the sixth as Houston edged host Oakland in the opener of a three-game series.

Carter drove in three runs on two hits and Jon Singleton added a solo homer while Jose Altuve scored twice for the Astros, who have won five straight and seven of nine. Brett Oberholtzer (5-10) allowed three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings and Tony Sipp struck out four over the final two frames to pick up his third save.

Jeff Samardzija (6-12) was reached for four runs on six hits while striking out nine in seven innings as the Athletics dropped six games behind the Los Angeles Angels in the American League West. Derek Norris and Adam Dunn each drove in a run for Oakland, which now leads the Seattle Mariners by just two games for the top wild-card spot.

Singleton launched a first-pitch fastball from Samardzija over the wall in right-center in the third inning but the Athletics loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the inning for Norris, who dumped a single into short right that scored two when right-fielder Jake Marisnick had trouble handling the hop. Dunn bounced a single through the shift to plate another run for a 3-1 lead.

Carter lined an RBI single to center in the fourth and Oberholtzer worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the frame to keep the Astros within 3-2. Altuve was on base again in the sixth for Carter, who turned around a 97-mph fastball from Samardzija and sent it into the seats in left-center to put Houston in front.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Carter has three home runs and six RBIs in the last two games and his 36 homers on the season are tied with Miami‘s Giancarlo Stanton for the second-most in the majors behind Baltimore‘s Nelson Cruz (37). … Altuve has hit safely in 12 straight games to raise his major league-leading batting average to .341. … Oakland CF Coco Crisp (neck strain) returned from a five-game absence but OF Stephen Vogt (ankle) is expected to miss the rest of the weekend.