Oakland @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 2, 2015 ) Oakland 5, Detroit 3

Sonny Gray has blossomed into one of the top pitchers in the American League and looks to win his third consecutive start when the Oakland Athletics visit the Detroit Tigers for the second contest of a three-game series Wednesday. Oakland sent the reeling Tigers to their fifth consecutive defeat, rallying from a three-run deficit for a 5-3 victory in the series opener.

Ben Zobrist provided the decisive blow in Tuesday's win with a grand slam, his first home run since the season opener. The Athletics improved to 7-3 in their last 10 but are still a dozen games below .500. Offense continues to be a major concern for Detroit, which has been limited to three runs or fewer in eight of its last 10 games. Anibal Sanchez, who is 2-3 with a 6.81 in seven home starts this season, will try to break the slide for the Tigers.

TV: 7:08 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), FSN Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Sonny Gray (6-2, 1.82 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Anibal Sanchez (3-6, 5.75)

Gray matched his season high with eight strong innings in his last turn, limiting the New York Yankees to two runs on four hits in a 6-2 victory. Gray has permitted two earned runs or fewer in nine of 11 starts and continues to receive ample run support from the Athletics, who have scored at least four times in nine of his starts. Since a clunker at Kansas City on April 17, Gray has yielded only five runs in five road outings.

Although Sanchez took the loss versus the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, he turned in a stellar performance with seven innings of two-run ball while striking out nine. The 31-year-old Venezuelan had been rocked for seven runs in each of his previous two turns while giving up a combined five home runs - one more than he surrendered in 21 starts last year. He is 1-1 with a 3.55 ERA in five career starts versus Oakland.

WALK-OFFS

1. Athletics CF Billy Burns is 13-for-30 during a seven-game hitting streak and has multiple hits in five straight contests.

2. The Tigers placed OF Rajai Davis on the paternity list and recalled OF Daniel Fields from Triple-A Toledo.

3. Athletics 3B Brett Lawrie had two hits Tuesday but has struck out at least once in nine consecutive games.

PREDICTION: Athletics 4, Tigers 3