Oakland @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 5, 2013 ) Detroit 0, Oakland 1

The Oakland Athletics are matching the vaunted Detroit Tigers’ rotation pitch-for-pitch. After settling for a split against Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, the Athletics will attempt to take the series lead when is shifts to Detroit for Game 3 on Monday. Tigers pitchers have notched 29 strikeouts in the first two games but the offense produced only two extra-base hits - both in the first inning of Game 1.

Detroit finished near the top of the majors in most offensive categories during the regular season and scored three runs in the first inning of Game 1 only to be held scoreless in the following 17. Oakland did not exactly tear the cover off the ball at home either, but Stephen Vogt got the hit that counted with his walk-off single in Game 2. Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera managed two hits in the first two contests and continues to battle groin and abdominal injuries.

TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, MLB Network

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Jarrod Parker (12-8, 3.97 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Anibal Sanchez (14-8, 2.57)

Parker went 19 starts in between losses before falling flat in September. The 24-year-old allowed seven earned runs and failed to get through five innings in two of his last three starts. Parker made two starts against Detroit in the 2012 ALDS and lost both, surrendering a total of seven runs (six earned) on 14 hits in 12 2/3 innings.

Sanchez led the AL in ERA and finished strong by going 2-1 with a 2.05 ERA in five September starts. The Venezuela native struggled at home against Oakland on August 26, yielding four runs on five hits in five innings. Sanchez made one start against the Athletics in the 2012 ALDS and suffered a loss despite giving up just two runs in 6 1/3 frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers 1B Prince Fielder is 1-for-8 with a single in the series and 1-for-10 against Parker in his career.

2. Oakland LF Yoenis Cespedes is 4-for-8 with two runs scored and two RBIs in the series.

3. Detroit CF Austin Jackson has struck out five times in eight at-bats, including four times in Game 2.

PREDICTION: Athletics 3, Tigers 2