New York @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 19, 2014 ) NY Mets 2, Oakland 6

The Oakland Athletics are banking on their overhauled pitching staff to propel them deep into the postseason and will be hoping for another solid start from Jeff Samardzija on Wednesday afternoon. The Athletics snapped a five-game losing streak Tuesday and will try to complete a sweep of their two-game interleague series versus the visiting New York Mets. The Athletics are one-half game behind Los Angeles in the AL West with a showdown looming this weekend versus the Angels.

Getting off the road turned things around for Oakland, which improved to a major league-best 41-21 at home. The Mets did put an end to one dubious streak in Tuesday's series opener, halting their five-game funk in which they were limited to four or fewer hits. Zack Wheeler is 5-0 over his last nine starts and has ample motivation to avenge a miserable outing against Oakland on June 25, when he was shelled for six runs in a season-low two innings.

TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), CSN California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Zack Wheeler (8-8, 3.49 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Jeff Samardzija (5-9, 2.96)

Wheeler is coming off another strong performance, matching his season high with 10 strikeouts and allowing two runs over 6 2/3 innings to beat the Chicago Cubs on Friday. It marked the ninth consecutive quality start since the debacle against the Athletics for Wheeler, who has yielded more than two runs once in that span. Wheeler is 4-4 both at home and away but his road ERA (3.24) is more than a half-run lower than at home (3.88).

Samardzija had a five-start unbeaten string halted last time out when he was touched for four runs (three earned) and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings at Kansas City. He has pitched at least six innings in each of his eight starts since he was acquired from the Cubs and has turned in a quality start in all five of his outings in Oakland. Daniel Murphy is in a 3-for-24 rut over his past six games but is 3-for-6 with a homer against Samardzija.

WALK-OFFS

1. Athletics CF Coco Crisp is batting .350 in 12 career games against New York.

2. Mets RF Curtis Granderson is 3-for-35 with no extra-base hits in his last nine games.

3. Tuesday's win clinched a fifth consecutive winning season at home for Oakland.

PREDICTION: Mets 3, Athletics 2