Los Angeles @ Oakland preview
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Last Meeting ( May 30, 2014 ) LA Angels 5, Oakland 9
The Oakland Athletics look to continue their power surge when they host the Los Angeles Angels for the second contest of their three-game series Saturday. Losers of six of their previous eight contests, the Athletics belted three home runs en route to a 9-5 triumph in the opener Friday. Brandon Moss hit a first-inning grand slam and Josh Donaldson added a pair of blasts to raise his team-leading total to 15, putting him four behind Baltimore's Nelson Cruz for first in the majors.
Oakland is second in the American League behind Toronto (80) with 63 home runs and is tied with Colorado for the major-league lead with 262 RBIs. Despite the loss, Mike Trout kept rolling for the Angels, going 2-for-5 with a solo homer. The 22-year-old star is riding an 11-game hitting streak during which he has posted five multi-hit performances and collected 10 RBIs.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, MLBN, FSN West (Los Angeles), CSN California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH Tyler Skaggs (4-2, 3.97 ERA) vs. Athletics LH Tommy Milone (3-3, 3.50)
Skaggs is coming off a loss at Seattle on Monday, when he allowed five runs — two earned — over seven innings. It marked the third time in five starts the 22-year-old yielded at least five runs, although he avoided a defeat against Tampa Bay on May 15. Skaggs came away without a decision versus Oakland on April 16 after giving up four runs over six frames.
Milone is riding a winning streak that reached three games Monday as he scattered four hits over 6 2/3 scoreless innings against Detroit. The 27-year-old has allowed a total of three runs over 26 1/3 frames in four outings since surrendering a season-high six runs at Boston on May 3. Milone also settled for a no-decision April 16 despite limiting the Angels to three runs — two earned — in six innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. After belting his first career grand slam, Moss exited Friday's contest in the third inning with a mild left calf strain and is day-to-day.
2. Moss and Donaldson have combined for 28 home runs and 91 RBIs in 54 games.
3. The Athletics are 21-3 when scoring the game's first run.
PREDICTION: Athletics 4, Angels 3