Tampa Bay @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 25, 2011 ) Tampa Bay 5, Oakland 7

THE STORY: The Tampa Bay Rays continue to fade from the playoff picture in the American League. Tampa Bay trails Boston by 9 1/2 games in the East and is 7 1/2 behind the New York Yankees in the wild card race. The postseason is not even on the Oakland Athletics' radar as they sit 13 1/2 games off the lead in the AL West. But Oakland has won six of its last 10 games overall and five of six at home.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), CSN California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH David Price (9-8, 3.67 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Brandon McCarthy (2-5, 3.74 ERA).

Price is coming off a tough loss to New York on Wednesday in which he allowed two runs in 7 1/3 innings. He has won just two of his last eight starts and has surrendered six home runs over his last four outings. Price is 5-3 in 10 road starts this year and 1-0 in two career meetings with Oakland.

McCarthy will be making his fifth start since being activated from the disabled list on July 3. The 28-year old has won only one of 11 outings since a road triumph at Minnesota on April 10. McCarthy is just 1-2 in six home starts this season but has posted a 2.33 ERA.

ABOUT THE ATHLETICS (45-57): RHP Tyson Ross, who has been sidelined since May 20 with a strained left oblique, was activated from the disabled list and optioned to Triple-A Sacramento. Ross went 3-3 with a 2.75 ERA in nine games - six starts - before the injury. Oakland signed RHP Sonny Gray, its first-round pick in this year's draft. Gray went 12-3 with a 2.12 ERA in 18 starts for Vanderbilt this season.

ABOUT THE RAYS (53-48): DH Johnny Damon hit his 505th career double Monday, putting him one behind Babe Ruth for 47th on the all-time list. 3B Evan Longoria drew a career-high four walks. SS Ben Zobrist continues to excel on the road. Zobrist, who went 3-for-4, is hitting .330 with 40 RBIs away from home but just .209 with 13 RBIs at Tropicana Field. Since being recalled from the minors on Saturday, OF Desmond Jennings is 6-for-11 with three doubles, two RBIs and three stolen bases.

FINAL PITCH: Oakland has gone 73 straight games without hitting more than two home runs. It's the club's longest such streak since an 86-game stretch from July 5, 1978-April 10, 1979.