Super return to A’s for Jesse Hahn in win over Astros

Hahn, who’d struggled so much during the spring that he was demoted to Triple-A Nashville, turned in one of the team’s best starts of the season, with an ultra-efficient 6 2/3 scoreless innings in Oakland’s 2-0 victory over Houston.

Thanks to two double-play balls, he faced only the minimum through five innings, and the Astros didn’t get a man past first against him until Carlos Correa’s one-out double in the seventh.

Hahn earned his first victory since July 1, 2015, which also was his last big-league start, and the A’s finished April with a winning record for the third time in four years.

Hahn, called up because Chris Bassitt was placed on the disabled list Friday with a right elbow strain, was solid in Oakland’s rotation the first half of last season, putting up a 3.35 ERA, but a forearm strain ended his season July 6.

Saturday, the 6-foot-6 right-hander was hitting 96-97 mph and his sinker was working well; he recorded 12 groundball outs compared to one pop-up.

Madson made it interesting, though; the Astros loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but Madson got Evan Gattis to bounce into a game-ending double play, completing the the first shutout by A’s pitchers this season.

With two outs in the second, Alonso doubled off rookie Chris Devenski and Josh Phegley and Semien walked to load the bases.