Minnesota @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 10, 2014 ) Oakland 6, Minnesota 1

Josh Reddick has been on quite a tear of late, but struggled mightily the last time he met the Minnesota Twins. The 27-year-old looks to extend his hitting streak to seven contests when the Oakland Athletics open a four-game set against the visiting Twins on Thursday. Reddick, who ripped a two-run double in Oakland's 7-3 setback to Tampa Bay on Wednesday, is 25-for-62 with four homers, 12 RBIs and 13 runs scored in his last 18 games.

While his recent stretch has been impressive, Reddick was just 1-for-9 with five strikeouts in the first two contests of Oakland's eventual three-game sweep of Minnesota from April 7-10. While the Athletics hold a two-game lead over the second-place Los Angeles Angels in the American League West, Minnesota is fighting just to remain relevant in the race for the second wild card. Trevor Plouffe, who had a two-run homer and an RBI single in Wednesday's 5-4 loss to San Diego, is 11-for-20 in August with a run scored in each of his last five contests.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), CSN California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Yohan Pino (1-3, 4.57 ERA) vs. Athletics LH Jon Lester (11-7, 2.59)

Pino secured his second straight no-decision after allowing four runs in 6 1/3 innings in his team's 8-6 win over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. The 30-year-old Venezuelan recorded his lone victory on the road against Seattle on July 10, but has a 6.28 ERA while allowing the opposition to bat .356 against him away from home. Pino has yet to face Oakland in his brief career.

Lester breezed to victory in his first start with his new team after being acquired from Boston prior to the trade deadline. The 30-year-old hasn't tasted defeat since a dismal outing in Detroit on June 7, but is 2-4 with a 4.41 ERA in his career against Minnesota. Lester fared well in his last outing versus the Twins, though, allowing one run on four hits in 6 1/3 innings en route to a 2-1 victory on June 17.

WALK-OFFS

1. Oakland INF Jed Lowrie is expected to return to the lineup Thursday after missing two starts with a bruised right index finger.

2. Minnesota 2B Brian Dozier, who is 2-for-5 versus Lester in his career, is 12-for-28 with seven runs scored on his seven-game hitting streak.

3. Athletics C Stephen Vogt is hitless in his last 23 at-bats.

PREDICTION: Athletics 4, Twins 2