Spence hits first 3 homers of career, helps Astros survive Athletics 7-5 to keep playoff hopes alive

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — 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 AL 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 his second home run of the game in the seventh inning 387 feet to give Houston a 5-4 lead.

Walker followed with his 27th 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 prior to the game.

Spence's three-run shot opened the scoring in the second inning and marked the first major league homer of his career. Paredes tacked on a game-tying solo shot in the sixth, his 24th of the season.

Astros' rookie Miguel Ullola (2-0) worked three scoreless innings of relief after starter Peter Lambert gave up four runs on six hits in 2 2/3 innings. Bryan Abreu allowed one hit through the final 1 1/3 frames for his ninth save.

The Athletics' Jeff McNeil hit a three-run homer in the third to tie the game 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.

Athletics' LHP Jacob Lopez (6-5, 5.68 ERA) starts game two against the Astros — who have yet to announce a starter — on Friday.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Athletics' Zack Gelof jogs around the bases after hitting a solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)

Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez looks down after being called out on strikes during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)

Houston Astros' Lucas Spence hits a solo home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Athletics Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)

Houston Astros' Lucas Spence jogs around the bases after hitting a solo home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Athletics Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers knew they’d have their hands full early in the season with their offense missing Josh Jacobs and their defense lacking Micah Parsons.

But they couldn’t have expected their home opener to go this miserably.

With a makeshift offensive line struggling to give Jordan Love time to throw or to create running room for Jacobs’ backups, the Packers were embarrassed by the previously winless Atlanta Falcons, losing 35-14 on Thursday night.

“Well, that was a humbling night,” coach Matt LaFleur said.

The Packers (1-2) were booed by the Lambeau Field crowd for much of the second half.

“It’s pretty disappointing,” tight end Tucker Kraft said. “It’s not going to help us win. Like I don’t know what people think that’s going to rally us or something like that. We’re grown men. We’re mentally strong enough, capable enough to get back on the field and play ball. But it’d probably much easier with the 70,000 people behind us rather than opposing us.”

The Packers didn't give the crowd much reason to cheer, and they find themselves at a potential crossroads before the end of September.

This wasn’t what team president/CEO Ed Policy had in mind when he signed LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst to contract extensions even after the Packers ended the 2025 season with five straight losses, including a wild-card playoff defeat at Chicago in which they blew a 21-3 lead.

Green Bay has made three straight postseason appearances but looked nothing like a potential playoff team Thursday.

The losses of Parsons and Jacobs certainly hurt.

Parsons will miss at least one more game as he continues his recovery from a torn ACL that ended his 2025 All-Pro season early.

Jacobs was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list after he pleaded no contest two weeks ago to misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property stemming from a May altercation with his then-girlfriend.

Meanwhile, injuries on the offensive line are hurting the Packers.

Green Bay played without two of its starting linemen after left guard Aaron Banks hurt his toe and right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele tore his patellar tendon in a 20-17 overtime victory over the New York Jets on Sunday. Bako-Bewele, who is Green Bay’s best lineman when healthy, won’t play again this season.

Although Love was only sacked once, the Falcons pressured him throughout the night.

“J-Love shouldn’t be getting touched or on the ground that much,” right tackle Anthony Belton said. “There’s no excuses to it. Just moving forward, we’ve got to keep hammering it every day to keep (him) clean. That’s just got to be our motto.”

The Packers have also lacked discipline. They committed an NFL-high 26 penalties through the first two weeks. They led 7-0 on Thursday when Brenton Cox Jr. was called for roughing the passer on a third-down incompletion. Instead of punting, Atlanta scored a tying touchdown on that series and took control shortly thereafter.

One strength for Green Bay the first two weeks of the season was defending the run. The Packers had been allowing 2.9 yards per carry, the second-lowest average in the league.

That changed Thursday.

Atlanta outrushed Green Bay 242 yards to 17 and averaged 5.9 yards per carry. Bijan Robinson led the way with 194 yards and two touchdowns.

Robinson threatened to break the single-game rushing record for a visiting player at Lambeau Field. Baltimore's Derrick Henry had 216 yards as the Ravens won 41-24 in the Packers' 2025 home finale.

The Packers have been outrushed by at least 225 yards in each of their last two home games, joining the 1955 Pittsburgh Steelers as the only team since at least 1933 with such a streak.

“You can’t point at the D-line, point at the ’backers, point at the safeties,” safety Evan Williams said. “You've got to understand it’s a team effort regardless of the end result. My response is just physicality is always the answer. So, yeah, just got to get back to the film room to see exactly what went wrong and correct it.”

Because Green Bay fell behind and couldn’t run the ball, its offense was one-dimensional. The Packers threw 53 passes and ran the ball just nine times.

Jacobs' absence leaves the Packers relying on MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson to lead their rushing attack. Each had four carries Thursday, with Lloyd gaining 11 yards and Johnson 6.

They were running in place for much of the night. And LaFleur will have to find a way to get them moving if he wants to salvage Green Bay's season.

“We’ve got a couple extra days here, and everybody’s got to take a long, hard look at themselves,” LaFleur said. “We’ve got to find solutions and just come back ready to work.”

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A Green Bay Packers fan reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in Green Bay, Wis., Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Green Bay Packers fans react during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in Green Bay, Wis., Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in Green Bay, Wis., Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in Green Bay, Wis., Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)