Oakland @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 26, 2012 ) Oakland 9, Texas 3

The Oakland Athletics are one victory away from putting enormous pressure on the Texas Rangers. Visiting Oakland can move within two games of Texas if it beats the Rangers for the third straight time in Thursday’s finale of the four-game series. The teams close the regular season with three games in Oakland and those contests could decide the American League West. The Athletics hold a two-game lead over the Los Angeles Angels for the AL’s second wild card.

Texas has lost four of six games and has tallied three or fewer runs in eight of its last 10 contests. The scoring slump has continued despite the return of Josh Hamilton from sinus and vision troubles for the series against Oakland. The Athletics racked up 16 hits in Wednesday’s 9-3 victory and also struck out 11 times to set a new American League record for strikeouts (1,332) in a season. The 2007 Tampa Bay Rays held the old mark. Oakland has an 8-7 edge on Texas in the season series.

TV: 2:05 p.m. ET, Comcast SportsNet California (Oakland), Fox Sports Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Travis Blackley (5-3, 3.75 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Matt Harrison (17-10, 3.17)

Blackley lasted just two innings against the New York Yankees last Saturday, allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits and three walks. He is 1-1 with a 4.76 ERA in three starts against the Rangers this season. Overall, he is 2-1 with a 5.16 ERA in four career starts against Texas.

Harrison has given up just four runs in 22 1/3 innings over his last three outings. He lost to the Seattle Mariners in his last decision when he gave up one run and seven hits in eight innings. Harrison is 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in two starts against Oakland this season. He is 5-1 with a 3.91 ERA in 11 career appearances (eight starts) against the Athletics.

WALK-OFFS

1. Athletics SS Stephen Drew had his second four-hit game in five outings and is batting .464 during a six-game hitting streak.

2. Texas OF Nelson Cruz is 1-for-11 in the series and he hasn’t hit a homer in any of his last 20 games dating back to Sept. 3.

3. Oakland OF Josh Reddick’s hitless streak reached 30 at-bats before he singled in each of his last two plate appearances Wednesday.