Oakland @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 24, 2012 ) Oakland 5, Tampa Bay 4

The Oakland Athletics finally found a way to cool off the surging Tampa Bay Rays by using a former teammate against them. Jonny Gomes, who played for Tampa Bay for his first six seasons, delivered a tiebreaking home run Friday night to even the series at one game apiece. Gomes has faced the Rays eight times and hit safely in each game, batting .345 with three homers in 29 at-bats. He'll look to help Oakland hand the Rays only their second series loss this month in Saturday's matinee.

The Athletics climbed within 1 1/2 games of the wild card-leading Rays, who dropped 3 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees in the AL East after absorbing only their sixth loss in 22 games this month. Each of Tampa Bay's last five defeats have come by one run. Gomes took advantage of a rare hiccup by reliever Joel Peralta, who had allowed one hit in seven scoreless appearances before giving up a run and taking the loss in his previous outing.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, CSCA (Oakland), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Brandon McCarthy (6-5, 3.16 ERA) vs. Rays RH Jeremy Hellickson (8-8, 3.28)

McCarthy is 0-2 in three starts since coming off the disabled list, although Oakland has scored seven runs in that span. He was pounded last time out by Minnesota, giving up a season-high six runs to go with 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings - his shortest start of the year. He's fared well in his career against the Rays, logging a 3-2 record with a 2.98 ERA in nine appearances (eight starts).

Hellickson has pitched superbly in his last two outings, allowing one run in seven innings in each start. He was a hard-luck 1-0 loser in Felix Hernandez's perfect game on Aug. 15 before limiting the Royals to six hits last time out. Hellickson had a shaky outing against Oakland on May 5, lasting only 3 2/3 innings and giving up three runs while throwing 102 pitches.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rays DH Luke Scott, who came of the disabled list Monday, stretched his hitting streak to eight games with a pinch-hit RBI double in the ninth.

2. The series will end Saturday because of the unavailability of Tropicana Field due to the upcoming Republican National Convention.

3. Oakland ended Tampa Bay's 18-game winning streak when scoring at least four runs.