Tampa Bay @ Oakland preview
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Last Meeting ( May 6, 2012 ) Oakland 9, Tampa Bay 5
The Tampa Bay Rays' staff attempts to extend its streak of 23 straight scoreless innings when the team continues its road trip with the opener of a three-game series against the red-hot Oakland Athletics, who are kicking off a 10-game homestand. After allowing three runs in the third inning of a 3-1 loss at Los Angeles on Friday, Tampa Bay posted back-to-back shutouts against the Angels behind Matt Moore and Jeremy Hellickson. The Rays, who are 4-2 on their nine-game trek, have yielded a total of five runs in their last six victories.
Keeping Oakland off the scoreboard is a daunting task, however, as the Athletics have not been shut out since June 3 at Kansas City. The club has been nearly unbeatable since ending June with three straight losses as it has won 18 of 22 games this month, including 12 of 15 since the All-Star break. The run has catapulted Oakland to the top of the American League wild-card standings, one-half game ahead of the Angels and 2 1/2 in front of Tampa Bay. The Athletics also are within 4 1/2 games of first-place Texas in the AL West.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), CSN California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH David Price (14-4, 2.57 ERA) vs. Athletics RH A.J. Griffin (3-0, 2.25)
Price is 6-0 over his last seven starts, working at least seven innings in each outing. The 26-year-old allowed just one run and seven hits over seven frames in a victory at Baltimore on Wednesday, striking out 10 without a walk. Price is 2-1 in five career starts against Oakland, including a victory May 4 in which he yielded just one run and three hits while striking out a season-high 12 in eight innings.
Griffin has yet to lose in his brief major-league career, reeling off three consecutive victories after three straight no-decisions. The 24-year-old's most recent triumph came at Toronto on Wednesday, when he scattered three hits over six scoreless innings. Griffin has worked six frames in each of his six starts, allowing three runs or fewer on each occasion.
WALK-OFFS
1. Oakland made a minor addition Sunday, acquiring C George Kottaras from Milwaukee for RHP Fautino De Los Santos.
2. Athletics CF Coco Crisp sat out Sunday's loss to Baltimore with a tight left hamstring.
3. Price looks to regain the major-league lead in victories after R.A. Dickey of the New York Mets pulled even with him Sunday.