Oakland @ Cleveland preview
Progressive Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 28, 2012 ) Oakland 7, Cleveland 0
If the Oakland Athletics hang on and earn a postseason berth, they'll have the Cleveland Indians to thank. The Athletics have won the first two games of the series by shutout and have blanked the Indians three straight times over a nine-game stretch. That success against Cleveland has been an integral part of a stretch in which Oakland has won 10 of 12 games to move into a tie with Baltimore atop the American League wild card standings. The A's have won the past six meetings.
Cleveland's offense has flat-lined since a 7-0 shutout loss at Oakland on Aug. 17. In the last nine games, the Indians are batting .207 as a team and have managed a paltry total of 11 runs. Cleveland has lost 12 of its last 13 games to fall to 5-21 in August and is riding a consecutive scoreless streak of 22 innings. "We're playing embarrassing baseball," Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis said.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, CSCA (Oakland), STO (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Travis Blackley (4-3, 3.83 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (0-2, 5.32)
Blackley will return to the rotation to make a spot start. He has made 11 starts in his 18 appearances, going 3-3 with a 4.04 ERA. Blackley pitched in relief in his last outing, tossing 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball against Minnesota on Aug. 20. His only appearance against Cleveland was ugly, but it came during the 2004 season.
The Indians have lost all five of Kluber's starts, although he pitched well in his last outing, holding the New York Yankees to one run on six hits and striking out a career-high six in five innings. He took the loss at Oakland on Aug. 18, allowing four runs on four hits in five innings. Athletics rookie Yoenis Cespedes hit a two-run homer off him.
WALK-OFFS
1. Oakland's Brandon Moss homered Tuesday to extend his hitting streak to seven games. He is batting .391 (9-for-23) against the Indians.
2. Cleveland has failed to score in 45 of its last 48 innings.
3. The Athletics have outscored the Indians 17-0 in the last three meetings.