Los Angeles @ Oakland preview
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Last Meeting ( Jun 19, 2012 ) LA Dodgers 0, Oakland 3
The Oakland Athletics are taking a page from the playbook of the Oakland Raiders and displaying their own black hole - at least when the Los Angeles Dodgers come to town. The Athletics won Tuesday's series opener against the Dodgers 3-0, giving them a 10-2 record at home against Los Angeles in interleague play. Brandon McCarthy stifled the Dodgers on two hits through seven innings before two relievers finished off the sixth win in seven games for Oakland.
The Dodgers were shut out for only the third time this season in the opener of a nine-game road trip. They are in the midst of a stretch where they play 19 of 25 games away from Dodger Stadium. Owners of the best record in the majors, Los Angeles has alternated wins and losses in its last seven games but still maintains a 4 1/2-game lead over San Francisco atop the National League West.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, KCAL (Los Angeles), CSCA California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Nathan Eovaldi (0-2, 1.81 ERA) vs. Athletics LH Tommy Milone (6-5, 4.48 ERA)
Eovaldi remains in search of his first win of the season. He could easily be 4-0 if the Dodgers provided him with any run support. The 22-year-old righty has allowed only six runs in his four starts, only to see Los Angeles score a total of four runs in that span. He has back-to-back no decisions despite allowing one run in 12 innings over his last two outings.
Milone was rocked in his last two starts - both away from home - in giving up 12 runs on 16 hits in only nine innings. That continued a season-long trend for Milone, who has a bloated 7.48 ERA on the road. Conversely, he has been magnificent at home, posting a 4-1 record and microscopic 0.98 ERA in five starts. He had surrendered seven homers in his last four starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Dodgers RHP Aaron Harang walked a career-high eight batters in 3 2/3 innings Tuesday, the most for the team since September 2003.
2. Athletics LF Yoenis Cespedes, who has been sidelined twice with hamstring injuries, could return to the lineup Wednesday.
3. Tuesday's loss dropped the Dodgers to 5-5 in interleague play.