Nick Kurtz delivered a performance that will be talked about for generations. In a 15–3 blowout at Daikin Park, he became the first rookie in Major League Baseball history to hit four home runs in a single game, tying the all-time single‑game total‑bases record with 19 and racking up eight RBIs and six hits in six at-bats. 

Three of his homers came to the opposite field off four different Astros pitchers, including the ninth‑inning blast off position player Cooper Hummel, illustrating his plate discipline, raw power, and uncanny ability to adapt in real time. All told, he racked up 19 total bases, tying Shawn Green’s MLB single‑game mark from 2002 and marking the first four‑homer game by any MLB rookie ever. 

But it wasn't just Kurtz’s heroics—the context made it unforgettable. The A’s pounded Astros rookie starter Ryan Gusto early, tagging him for eight runs in just over three innings, then forced Houston to turn to a position player in relief during a game that got out of hand fast. 

Meanwhile, Jeffrey Springs quietly shut down the Astros in relief, keeping them to two runs over six innings. The blowout exposed Houston’s rotation depth issues and underscored the A’s emerging identity, with Kurtz firmly the centerpiece of their renaissance 

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