Oakland @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 5, 2015 ) Oakland 2, Boston 4

The Boston Red Sox can post their second series win over the visiting Oakland Athletics in less than a month when the American League division cellar dwellers square off Saturday in the second of a three-game set. The Red Sox snapped Oakland's four-game winning streak with a 4-2 victory Friday to improve to 4-8 over their past 12 games.

History was made in the series opener as Athletics reliever Pat Venditte made his major-league debut and became the first pitcher since September 1995 to record an out in the same inning while throwing both left-handed and right-handed. Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia remained hot on the homestand with a three-hit game Friday and is 11-for-21 with six runs scored during a five-game hitting streak. Oakland third baseman Brett Lawrie also collected three hits and is 9-for-15 during a string of four straight multiple-hit games. The Athletics send Jesse Chavez to the mound Saturday to oppose Joe Kelly.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Jesse Chavez (2-5, 2.11 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Joe Kelly (1-4, 5.83)

Chavez halted a four-start winless drought with his second consecutive superb outing, holding the New York Yankees to seven hits over eight scoreless innings on Sunday. He was a hard-luck loser in his previous turn after giving up one unearned run on five hits in eight innings of a 1-0 defeat to Detroit. All of Chavez’s decisions have come since he was switched from the bullpen to the rotation, but he's allowed one earned run or less in half of his eight starts.

Kelly remains winless since his dazzling season debut at Yankee Stadium, although he has surrendered two earned runs or fewer in three of his last four starts. Kelly gave up one earned run over five innings at Texas on Sunday – a needed bounce-back performance after he was shelled for seven runs in a season-low 1 2/3 innings at Minnesota in his previous turn. Kelly is 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA in his four starts at Fenway Park this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox 3B Pablo Sandoval, mired in a 1-for-20 slump over his last six games, sat out the series opener.

2. Athletics CF Billy Burns is riding a 10-game hitting streak.

3. A female fan was struck in the head by a broken bat Friday and suffered life-threatening injuries, Boston police said.

PREDICTION: Athletics 5, Red Sox 3