Oakland @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 9, 2011 ) Oakland 6, Texas 7

THE STORY: The Oakland A’s have to wonder what they need to do to get a victory. They led 4-0, 5-1 and 6-5 with two outs, two strikes and none on, but lost their third straight to the streaking Texas Rangers. The A’s will send Trevor Cahill to the mound to try and salvage one in the four-game series Sunday afternoon at Texas. Oakland has lost five of six. Matt Harrison goes for the Rangers, who have won six straight games to match their season high. Texas started the season with six wins. The Rangers have averaged 8.5 runs in their streak.

TV: 3:05 p.m. EST, FS-SW (Texas), CSCA (Oakland).

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Matt Harrison (6-7, 3.28) vs. A’s RH Trevor Cahill (8-6, 3.17).

Harrison has lost three of his last four decisions, but has not pitched poorly. He has given up 13 earned runs in his last six starts, including July 5 when he allowed two runs in six innings against Baltimore. Harrison gave up four runs in 1 2/3 innings against Oakland in a loss May 1 and is 3-1 lifetime against the A’s with a 4.81 ERA in 24 1/3 innings. Left-handed hitters are batting .310 against Harrison (right-handers .234). Coco Crisp is 4-for-7 with a home run against Harrison.

Cahill has given up one earned run each in three of his last four starts, including July 5 against Seattle when he pitched seven innings. He beat Texas May 4, allowing one run in seven innings to improve his career numbers against the Rangers to 8-2, with a 2.18 ERA in 70 1/3 innings. Mitch Moreland is 4-for-12 with two homers against Cahill.

ABOUT THE RANGERS (50-41): Josh Hamilton capped a great night with a two-run, walk-off home run into the second deck Saturday. He’s been one of the league’s hottest hitters in July, going 14-for-34 with 13 RBIs in nine games. Hamilton wouldn’t have a chance to win it if Elvis Andrus hadn’t legged out an infield hit with two outs. Andrus is 9-for-16 the last four games, while playing a solid shortstop. Slugger Nelson Cruz has been inconsistent with the bat. After going 5-for-13 with five RBIs in three games against the Orioles, he is 0-for-11 against the A’s.

ABOUT THE A’S (39-52): The A’s have scored at least 11 runs combined in two straight games for the first time since June 16-17 when they were in the middle of a six-game win streak. Unfortunately, they have lost both this time. Josh Willingham has been a key, after coming off the disabled list, with five hits in 12 at bats. Reliever Grant Balfour has also looked good after coming off the disabled list, pitching a perfect inning the last two days. He has 14 holds, four wins and two saves. Closer Andrew Bailey had saved eight straight before blowing his second of the season Saturday.

FINAL PITCH: Oakland and Texas have committed the most errors in the American League. Texas has 72 and Oakland 71. The next most in the AL is 61. The Cubs are the only team in the National League with more (76).