Boston @ Oakland preview
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Last Meeting ( Jul 4, 2012 ) Boston 2, Oakland 3
The Oakland Athletics have dominated the Boston Red Sox during the teams' recent meetings. The Athletics will vie for their sixth straight victory over the Red Sox on Friday when the clubs open a three-game set in Oakland. The Athletics posted their 12th win in 14 outings on Thursday when they slugged their way to a 12-7 triumph over Cleveland. The victory moved Oakland 16 games over .500 and capped a 6-1 road trip.
While the Athletics have been ascending, Boston continues to plummet in the standings. The Red Sox were the victims of a season series sweep by the Los Angeles Angels after Thursday's 5-2 setback. The loss was the eighth in 11 contests for Boston, which sits a season-low eight games under .500.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), CSCA (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Aaron Cook (3-7, 4.76 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Brandon McCarthy (7-5, 3.12)
Cook, who has dropped six of his last seven decisions, will look to avenge a July 4 loss to Athletics when he takes the mound on Friday. The 33-year-old sinkerballer yielded three runs and nine hits in six innings in the 3-2 setback. In his last outing, Cook recorded a quality start versus Kansas City, but did not collect a decision in Boston's 10-9 loss.
McCarthy snapped a two-game slide by tossing seven solid innings in a 4-2 win over Tampa Bay on Saturday. The 29-year-old scattered just four hits and struck out seven in the victory. McCarthy improved to 2-3 in his career versus Boston after yielding one run over 6 2/3 innings in a 4-2 win on May 2.
WALK-OFFS
1. Josh Reddick has enjoyed success against his former team, going deep twice and collecting five RBIs in his last six games. Reddick enters Friday's tilt on a five-game hitting streak.
2. James Loney has made an impact since joining the Red Sox. Acquired in the blockbuster deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Loney homered among his three hits on Thursday. He is 7-for-17 since coming to Boston.
3. Oakland rookie Yoenis Cespedes has seven hits in his last four games, but has struggled versus Boston this season. The Cuban is 4-for-25 with six strikeouts against the Red Sox.