Oakland @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 10, 2015 ) Arizona 5, Oakland 6

The Arizona Diamondbacks look to avoid a fifth consecutive loss when they host the Oakland Athletics on Friday in the opener of their three-game interleague series. After completing a four-game sweep in Cincinnati, Arizona suffered the exact same fate in its home set against St. Louis that concluded with a 5-3 setback Thursday.

The Diamondbacks scored a total of eight runs versus the National League Central-leading Cardinals and have dropped five straight at home after back-to-back 13-run efforts in two victories over Philadelphia. Oakland's struggles on the road continued Wednesday as it suffered an 8-2 defeat at Seattle. The Athletics are 1-9 as visitors this month and have lost 13 of their last 15 away from home. Billy Burns, who led off Wednesday's contest with a home run, is 9-for-18 over his last four games and leads all AL rookies with 123 hits.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), FSN Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Sonny Gray (12-5, 2.10 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Chase Anderson (6-5, 4.28)
Gray worked eight innings in a no-decision against Tampa Bay on Saturday but yielded three earned runs - his highest total in six outings. The 25-year-old native of Tennessee has won only one of his last four turns but still leads the American League in ERA. Gray, who never has faced Arizona, is 8-2 with a sterling 1.64 mark in 13 road starts this season.
Anderson continued his dominance of the Reds on Sunday, scattering five hits over 6 2/3 innings at Cincinnati in his second scoreless performance versus the National League Central club in 17 days. They were the only two outings in the 27-year-old Texan's last five starts in which he wasn't battered, as he surrendered a total of 19 runs (17 earned) over 13 1/3 frames in the other three turns. Anderson, who is 2-3 with a 4.37 ERA in 10 home starts this year, will be facing Oakland for the first time.

WALK-OFFS
1. Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt belted his 108th career home run Wednesday to pull into a tie with Justin Upton for fifth place on the franchise list.
2. Oakland 3B Brett Lawrie is riding a seven-game hitting streak during which he is 13-for-27 with five multi-hit performances.
3. Arizona OF Ender Inciarte is 9-for-23 during his six-game hitting streak


PREDICTION: Athletics 6, Diamondbacks 2