Boston @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 3, 2012 ) Boston 2, Oakland 3

The Boston Red Sox looked primed to move into a tie for second place in the American League East on Tuesday night, which would have marked their highest position in the standings this season. Instead, a pair of old friends combined to hand them their third walk-off loss of the current road trip. Former Red Sox Coco Crisp and Brandon Moss each drove in a run in the bottom of the ninth as the Oakland Athletics stole a 3-2 win.

Crisp, who earned a World Series ring with Boston in 2007, led off the bottom of the first with a home run and ended the game with a walk-off sacrifice fly to lead the A’s to their third straight win and pull them back within two games of .500. Moss, who came up through the Red Sox system, drove in the tying run. Boston, which ranks second in the majors in runs, is averaging only two per outing through the first six games of its seven-game trip. The A’s, who rank last in the majors in batting average, have put up nine runs in the first two games of the series.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Aaron Cook (2-1, 4.32 ERA) vs. Athletics RH A.J. Griffin (0-0, 1.50)

Cook has gotten the win in each of his last two turns and is coming off one of the best performances of his career. The veteran right-hander needed only 81 pitches to complete a two-hit shutout of the Seattle Mariners last Friday. Cook has made two career starts again Oakland, going 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA. Athletics outfielder Jonny Gomes, who played against Cook when both were in the National League, is 7-for-14 with three homers against the veteran.

Griffin has put up quality starts in each of his first two major league turns. The 24-year old rookie went six innings at Texas last Friday and did not allow a run while surrendering two hits and walking a pair. Griffin was 6-3 with a 2.66 ERA in 15 starts split between Class AA Midland and Class AAA Sacramento before getting the call.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cook’s gem against the Mariners marked the fewest number of pitches by a Boston starter in a nine-inning shutout since Roger Clemens’ MVP and Cy Young season of 1986.

2. Boston on Tuesday reached a contract termination settlement with RHP Bobby Jenks and gave him is unconditional release.

3. Oakland pitching has allowed two runs or fewer in 12 of the last 19 games.