San Francisco @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( May 20, 2012 ) Oakland 6, San Francisco 2

Things are looking up for the Athletics, who have won three consecutive series for the first time this season. They’ll aim for a fourth straight this weekend against the visiting Giants, who have lost five of their last seven and sit four games behind the first-place Dodgers. After some internal debate, San Francisco decided not to skip Tim Lincecum in the rotation, and he'll get the start in the series opener. The two-time Cy Young Award winner hasn’t won since April 28.

Pitching has been the key to Oakland’s recent surge, which has them two games under .500. The Athletics have allowed only 22 hits over their last six games, the fewest hits they have ever allowed in a six-game span in a season. To help boost their offense, the Athletics have promoted top prospect Derek Norris, who was acquired from Washington during the offseason in the Gio Gonzalez trade. Norris, who was batting .273 with eight home runs in Triple-A, will share time at catcher with slumping Kurt Suzuki.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, NBC Bay Area (San Francisco), CSNCA (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Tim Lincecum (2-8, 6.19 ERA) vs. Athletics LH Jarrod Parker (3-3, 2.82)

Lincecum, who has allowed at least four runs in 10 of his 14 starts, gave up five runs over five innings last Saturday against Seattle. Seth Smith is batting .300 with three home runs against Lincecum, who is 5-2 with a 1.92 ERA in eight career starts against Oakland.

Parker hasn’t allowed a run in three of his last four starts and is 2-1 with a 2.08 ERA over that span. Recalled from Triple-A Sacramento on April 25, Parker has gone at least six innings in seven of his 10 starts with Oakland. He threw seven shutout innings last Thursday against Colorado.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Giants have stolen 26 bases in their past 26 games after stealing only 28 times in the first 44 games

2. Oakland will continue to ease Yoenis Cespedes (hamstring) back into the lineup as a designated hitter before returning him to the outfield.

3. Giants closer Santiago Casilla has converted 14 straight save opportunities and allowed four runs in 27 1/3 innings.