Baltimore @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 8, 2011 ) Oakland 2, Baltimore 3

THE STORY: The Oakland Athletics look to get back on the winning track Monday. They'll be facing the right opponent to do just that. Oakland welcomes the Baltimore Orioles to town, a club that has just 17 victories in 54 road games so far this season. Baltimore sends righty Tommy Hunter to the hill against struggling Oakland lefty Gio Gonzalez.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (Baltimore), Comcast SportNet California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Tommy Hunter (1-2, 4.67 ERA) vs. Athletics LH Gio Gonzalez (9-10, 3.25 ERA)

Hunter is making his third start since being shipped to Baltimore by the Texas Rangers at the trade deadline. The burly righthander didn't look strong in either of his previous outings, allowing eight runs over 10 2/3 innings. Hunter is a perfect 4-0 in seven career appearances (five starts) against Oakland, sporting a 4.59 ERA over 33 1/3 innings.

Gonzalez has been smarting since late-July, going 0-4 with an 8.86 ERA in his last four starts. That's a complete reversal from his sizzling first half, when he went 8-6 with a 2.47 ERA and held opposing hitters to a .221 average. Gonzalez' home-road splits are pronounced, as the 25-year-old sports a 7-3 record in Oakland and a 2-7 mark elsewhere.

ABOUT THE ORIOLES (46-72): Baltimore enters the opener of a 10-game roadswing with the American League's worst record away from home. And playing away from the confines of Camden Yards hasn't just had a negative impact on the club - its best hitter has struggled on the road, as well. Outfielder Adam Jones is enjoying a career year, but the majority of that success has come at home. Eighteen of his 21 home runs have come at Camden Yards, and he has 51 RBIs at home compared to just 20 at home. Monday's game may present a challenge, as Jones is just 2-for-13 lifetime against Gonzalez.

ABOUT THE ATHLETICS (53-66): With little to play for but pride, Oakland had an opportunity to make things difficult for the American League West-leading Texas Rangers this past weekend. But the Athletics couldn't get anything going over the first two games, then fell just short in Sunday's finale after rallying from a 6-0 deficit. Athletics hitters are batting a collective .266 against Hunter, with Daric Barton, Coco Crisp and Hideki Matsui having homered off of him. Monday's series opener kicks off a stretch of 13 straight games against AL East opponents for Oakland, which is just 13-17 versus that division so far in 2011.

FINAL PITCH: The home team has won all six meetings so far this season.