Minnesota @ Oakland preview
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Last Meeting ( Sep 19, 2013 ) Minnesota 6, Oakland 8
The Oakland Athletics continue their quest for a second straight division title when they host the Minnesota Twins in the second contest of their four-game set Friday. Oakland reduced its magic number for clinching the American League West to four with a see-saw 8-6 triumph in Thursday's series opener. Alberto Callaspo and Jed Lowrie homered during a four-run sixth inning to erase a 3-2 deficit and Coco Crisp launched a two-run shot in the eighth to snap a 6-6 tie.
The Athletics have a 6 1/2-game lead over the Texas Rangers with nine contests remaining. Oswaldo Arcia belted a solo homer and scored twice as the Twins suffered their seventh loss in nine games. Minnesota's Ron Gardenhire is three wins away from becoming the eighth active manager to register 1,000 victories.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), CSN California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins LH Andrew Albers (2-3, 3.81 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Bartolo Colon (16-6, 2.73)
Albers attempts to snap a personal winless streak that reached six starts on Saturday, when he surrendered four runs over four innings in a loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. The 27-year-old Canadian has not been victorious since tossing 17 1/3 scoreless frames while winning his first two major-league outings on Aug. 6 and 12. Albers, who worked seven scoreless innings in a no-decision against Toronto on Sept. 8, never has faced Oakland.
Colon continued his amazing season Saturday at Texas, where he scattered seven hits over eight scoreless innings in a 1-0 victory. The 40-year-old Dominican has allowed fewer than two runs in 12 of his 28 outings this season. Colon is 9-8 with two complete games and a 4.14 ERA in 22 starts and one relief appearance against the Twins.
WALK-OFFS
1. Colon is riding a streak of four consecutive starts with fewer than two earned runs allowed.
2. Twins 3B Trevor Plouffe went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts before exiting Thursday's game with a sore left wrist.
3. Oakland LF Yoenis Cespedes did not play Thursday due to tendinitis in his right shoulder but hopes to be in Friday's lineup.
PREDICTION: Athletics 4, Twins 1