Astros 5, Athletics 1: Collin McHugh allowed one run and two hits in 8 2/3 innings as Houston earned a split of the four-game series against visiting Oakland.

McHugh (2-0) was one out away from a one-hit shutout when the Athletics scraped across a run and Raul Valdes was asked to get the final out. McHugh was making his second start after getting called up earlier in the week from Triple-A Oklahoma City and was coming off a 12-strikeout performance in 6 1/3 scoreless innings Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners.

Athletics starter Tommy Milone (0-2) nearly matched McHugh for much of the game but couldn’t get the final out in the seventh inning before surrendering four runs and five hits. Jonathan Villar had a two-run triple and Jose Altuve clubbed a two-run homer in the four-run seventh that gave the Astros a 5-0 lead.

McHugh left the bases loaded in the first inning following a single and two walks but didn’t allow another base hit until Alberto Callaspo’s run-scoring single with two outs in the ninth. He retired 19 in a row before hitting Brandon Moss just before Callaspo’s single.

The Astros took a 1-0 lead in the third after Villar hit a ground-rule double to right and moved to third on a single to center by Altuve before coming home on Dexter Fowler’s groundout. Milone retired 12 out of 13 after Altuve’s single, but got into trouble in the seventh after walking Matt Dominguez with one out and giving up Villar’s two-out triple to deep center.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Athletics OF Yoenis Cespedes sat out his third straight game with a strained left hamstring but is not expected to go on the disabled list. … Oakland 3B Josh Donaldson drew one of three walks by McHugh and has now reached base safely in 20 consecutive games. … Altuve’s home run was the first Dan Otero has surrendered in his career after 63 2/3 innings, the longest active streak in the majors.