Oakland @ San Francisco preview
AT&T Park
Last Meeting ( Jul 25, 2015 ) Oakland 1, San Francisco 2
The San Francisco Giants aim for a three-game sweep of Bay Area rival Oakland on Sunday. The surging Giants have won 10 of their last 11 games spanning the All-Star break while the Athletics have dropped three straight and four of their last five.
San Francisco has surged past the Chicago Cubs for the second wild-card spot in the National League after winning seven of its first eight games following the break. The Giants will have to complete the sweep without the help of Madison Bumgarner, who did it all in Saturday’s 2-1 victory with seven innings of one-run ball and a solo homer. Veteran right-hander Tim Hudson will try to follow Bumgarner’s lead and continue his strong performance in day games — opponents are hitting .237 against Hudson during the day compared with .321 under the lights. The A’s have scored two or fewer runs in nine of their past 16 games, including three of their past five.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Kendall Graveman (6-6, 3.78 ERA) vs. Giants RH Tim Hudson (5-8, 4.76)
Graveman put together an impressive run of seven consecutive quality starts leading up to the All-Star break but has been roughed up while losing his last two outings. The 24-year-old gave up four runs in 5 2/3 innings July 10 at Cleveland and started the second half by surrendering six runs in 5 1/3 frames against Toronto. Graveman has been much better on the road than at home, going 4-2 with a 2.44 ERA in eight starts away from Oakland.
Hudson will make his second start since coming off the disabled list with a shoulder strain. The 40-year-old needs to be more efficient after lasting four-plus innings and giving up three runs in a loss at San Diego on Monday. Hudson, who was drafted by Oakland in 1997 and played his first six big-league seasons for the A’s, is 0-2 with a 9.58 ERA in two starts against his former team.
WALK-OFFS
1. San Francisco 1B Brandon Belt is 7-for-20 with a homer and four RBIs during a six-game hitting streak.
2. Oakland 2B Ben Zobrist is 4-for-7 with a homer in the series.
3. Giants RHP Santiago Casilla notched his 25th save Saturday, matching his career-high total from 2012.
PREDICTION: Athletics 5, Giants 4