Oakland @ Minnesota preview

Oakland at Minnesota

Last Meeting ( Jul 14, 2012 ) Oakland 9, Minnesota 3

The Oakland Athletics attempt to complete a sweep of their three-game series against the Minnesota Twins when the clubs meet at Target Field on Sunday. Oakland captured the first two games of the set by a combined score of 15-6, using a power surge to claim a 9-3 triumph on Saturday. Yoenis Cespedes, Chris Carter, Seth Smith and Brandon Moss all homered as the Athletics posted their eighth win in nine contests.

The Athletics remained 1 1/2 games behind Baltimore for the second wild-card spot in the American League. Despite being relegated to the designated hitter role because of a sprained thumb, Cespedes has found a groove against the Twins, going 4-for-9 with three RBIs over the first two games of the series. Minnesota has lost six of its last seven games. The club collected 14 hits Saturday, with each member of the starting lineup notching at least one. Justin Morneau and Trevor Plouffe enter Sunday with 12-game hitting streaks.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), FSN North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Jarrod Parker (5-4, 2.86 ERA) vs. Twins LH Brian Duensing (1-5, 4.11)

Parker is hoping to rebound from a rough outing against Seattle on July 7 in which he allowed six runs over 4 2/3 innings. In his prior four starts, the 23-year-old yielded just three runs over 26 2/3 frames while going 3-0. Parker was superb in his only career meeting with Minnesota on May 29, when he tossed six scoreless innings but had to settle for a no-decision.

Duensing will be making his fourth start of the season. He failed to last five innings in all of his previous three outings, going 0-3 while allowing nine runs over 11 1/3 frames. The 29-year-old Duensing is 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA in six career games against the Athletics, including a pair of starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Parker is the first starting pitcher since 1918 to allow fewer than two runs in 10 of his first 15 career games.

2. Athletics CF Coco Crisp missed Saturday's game and is likely to sit out Sunday due to soreness in his left shoulder.

3. Former Athletic Josh Willingham has belted five of his team-leading 22 home runs against Oakland.