New York @ Oakland preview
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Last Meeting ( Apr 22, 2010 ) NY Yankees 2, Oakland 4
Kevin Kouzmanoff has run hot and cold, but he’s never been this frigid before.
We’re not talking just the 2010 season, but throughout his major-league career which began in 2006.
The Oakland Athletics third baseman is the midst of a career-worst 0-for-29 rut entering Monday’s opener of a three-game series against the visiting New York Yankees.
Kouzmanoff’s woes have gotten so pronounced that he was benched Sunday when the Athletics lost to the Cleveland Indians.
The slump seemingly came out of nowhere as Kouzmanoff had a torrid June before failing to get a hit in the final four games of the month. His last hit came June 25 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He had a four-hit game just five days earlier.
Kouzmanoff was hitting .400 in June before failing to get a hit in his final 17 June at-bats to finish the month at .336. Then he started July 0-for-12 before Athletics manager Bob Geren felt Kouzmanoff needed a break.
Kouzmanoff, who is hitting .266 with eight homers and 39 RBIs, started the season slowly and then heated up. During a 15-game hitting streak from May 31-June 15, Kouzmanoff hit .458 (27-for-59) to raise his average 50 points to .294.
But that torrid stretch is just a distant memory now as Kouzmanoff struggles in a deep freeze.
Yankees starter Javier Vazquez will attempt to keep Kouzmanoff’s woes going in Monday’s opening game of the contest.
Vazquez (6-7, 5.11 ERA) last won on June 12 and he lost to the Seattle Mariners in his last outing.
He defeated Oakland earlier in the season when he gave up three runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. Vazquez is 3-3 with a 4.99 ERA in eight career starts against the Athletics.
Yankees closer Mariano Rivera did something rare on Sunday, blowing his second save of the season during a game in which New York beat the Toronto Blue Jays in 10 innings.
It was the first time Rivera allowed a run since May 21, a span of 16 consecutive appearances.
Rivera has a 1.11 ERA and 18 saves on the season. He is one of six Yankees on the American League All-Star team. The others are second baseman Robinson Cano, shortstop Derek Jeter, third baseman Alex Rodriguez and starting pitchers CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes.
Oakland starting pitcher Trevor Cahill was the only member of the Athletics selected.
Ben Sheets will start for the Athletics on Monday. Sheets is 3-7 with a 4.98 ERA. He lost to the Yankees earlier this season despite giving up just two runs and four hits in six innings.
New York catcher Jorge Posada will not be behind the plate Monday after taking a foul tip off his left ring finger during Sunday’s game.
Oakland figures to be without center fielder Coco Crisp, who left Sunday’s game with hamstring tightness. Crisp has played in just 12 games this season and has already been on the disabled list twice.
Athletics outfielder Conor Jackson has missed four straight games with a hamstring injury and could be headed to the disabled list.