Los Angeles @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 14, 2015 ) Oakland 8, LA Angels 1

The Oakland Athletics enjoyed quite the power surge before seeing their four-game winning streak come to an end with a thud in their last outing. The American League West cellar-dwelling Athletics look to dust themselves off and attempt to make some hay within the division when they open a three-game series against the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Friday.

Oakland, which had outscored its foes by a 39-9 margin prior to Thursday's 3-1 setback to San Diego, has dropped six of the 10 meetings this season with Los Angeles - including two of three last weekend. Sonny Gray bested Matt Shoemaker in the series finale on Sunday, and the two right-handers will return to the mound to begin this set. Billy Burns went 1-for-3 versus Shoemaker in their last meeting, and is 14-for-39 with eight runs scored and five RBIs during his nine-game hitting streak. Speaking of a solid display at the plate, Mike Trout ripped an RBI triple on Thursday to hit safely for the 11th time in 12 contests as the Angels posted a 7-1 triumph to salvage a split of their four-game, home-and-home interleague series with Arizona.

TV: 9:35 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), FSN West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Matt Shoemaker (4-5, 4.85 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Sonny Gray (8-3, 1.60)

Shoemaker allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits in 5 2/3 innings on Sunday to take the loss in an 8-1 setback to Oakland. The losing decision against the Athletics was the second one this season for the 28-year-old, who permitted five runs on seven hits in three frames in a 6-3 setback on April 20. Shoemaker has kept the ball in the park in each of his last four outings after permitting nine homers in his previous four.

Gray improved to 5-1 in his career versus Los Angeles after yielding one unearned run on five hits while striking out nine in 7 2/3 innings on Sunday. The 25-year-old has allowed just four earned runs and issued four walks against 31 strikeouts en route to posting a 4-1 mark in his last five outings. Sluggers Albert Pujols and Trout are each batting .182 (4-for-22) in their careers versus Gray while Chris Iannetta is 0-for-10 against him.

WALK-OFFS

1. Oakland 3B Brett Lawrie is 9-for-21 with five RBIs in his last six contests.

2. Angels SS Erick Aybar is mired in a 1-for-27 stretch in his last seven games.

3. Athletics 1B Ike Davis (quad) could return to the lineup on Friday after being sidelined since May 13.

PREDICTION: Athletics 4, Angels 3