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Astros Pitcher Chris Sampson was cruising. He had pitched well allowing only a couple of solo home runs until the bullpen took over in the 8th.

The Athletics rally with 5 runs in the 8th to top the Astros 7-3.

Dan Wheeler looked like he brought his "A" game striking out the first two batters he faced. But that's when the roof caved in. The Athletics went on to score 5 runs and rally past the Astros 7-3.

Mark Ellis hit a two-run double in the eighth inning off Wheeler and later Eric Chavez added a two-run single during the frame as the A's have won 9 of their last 11.

Jason Kendall's leadoff homer in the sixth off the facade in left-center was his first home run since May 31, 2006, a span of 157 games and 619 at-bats. It ended the second-longest drought in the majors among active players.

Wheeler (0-4), demoted from the closer role after blowing a save in Colorado last Thursday, struck out the first two A's he faced in the eighth before Kendall and Marco Scutaro singled. Scutaro pinch-hit for Oakland starter Joe Blanton.

Mark Kotsay then drove a double into the left-field corner to score Kendall and tie the game, and Ellis lined Wheeler's next pitch off the left-field wall to bring home Scutaro and Kotsay.

Trever Miller relieved Wheeler and walked Nick Swisher. Chavez, who led off the fifth with a homer to right, then blooped a single to make it 7-3.

Blanton (6-4) won for just the second time in five starts, despite giving up eight hits -- six of them doubles.

Sampson allowed only three hits -- two of them homers -- and also singled and scored a run. Eric Munson and Hunter Pence had RBI doubles for the Astros, who've lost five of their last eight.

Kendall singled to left in the third, but Blanton bunted back to Sampson, who threw to second to start a double play.

Munson doubled home Carlos Lee in the second before Sampson started the Astros' third with a single. The rookie Pence then doubled, his 25th RBI and 23rd extra-base hit since he was called up from Triple-A Round Rock on April 28.

Chavez, who struck out four times in Tuesday's 5-4 loss, drove Sampson's first pitch of the fifth inning into the right-field seats to make it 2-1. It was Chavez's 10th homer of the season, but only his second on the road.

Kendall tied the game with his second homer in his last 406 games.

Adam Everett led off the Astros' seventh with a double into the right-field corner. Orlando Palmeiro pinch-hit for Sampson and grounded out.

Craig Biggio then doubled off the left-field wall, a few feet shy of a homer, to put Houston up 3-2. It was Houston's sixth double of the night, tying a season high.

Notes:@ Biggio has 656 career doubles, one behind Nap Lajoie for sixth on the all-time list. He ranks 26th all-time in extra-base hits with 996 and has 2,984 hits in his career. ... Oakland has hit into 63 double plays, most in the majors.