Boston @ Oakland preview
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Last Meeting ( Jun 3, 2010 ) Oakland 9, Boston 8
The Oakland Athletics are entering an 18-game stretch that will likely determine whether or not they can jump into the AL West race.
The Boston Red Sox are embarking on a 27-game stretch that may decide whether or not they remain in contention in the AL East.
The two respective third-place teams collide Monday night in Oakland when the red-hot Athletics meet the struggling Red Sox in the opener of a three-game series.
Oakland has won five consecutive games and 12 of 18 to reach the .500 mark for the first time since June 15. Boston has lost eight of its last 11 games as a plethora of injuries has taken its toll.
The Athletics swept three games in Kansas City over the weekend but the schedule gets decidedly tougher with 15 of Oakland’s next 18 contests coming against the teams with the third (Texas Rangers), fourth (Boston) and fifth (Chicago White Sox) best records in the American League.
After the three-game series with the Red Sox, Oakland hosts the White Sox for three contests. Then the A’s visit Texas (three games) and Chicago (three) before returning home against Kansas City (three games) and Texas (three).
Oakland currently trails Texas by seven games, so the upcoming stretch that includes six games against the Rangers is of the utmost importance if the Athletics are to be part of the division race.
Boston, meanwhile, is beginning a 10-game West Coast road trip on Monday. The Red Sox, who are 6 1/2 games out of first place, play 20 of their next 27 contests on the road.
After the swing through Oakland, Seattle (four games) and Anaheim (three), the Red Sox return to Fenway Park for seven games. Then they head out on another 10-game road trip that begins with four games against the first-place Yankees (AL East) and concludes with three games against the first-place Rangers.
Boston has been undermanned in recent weeks after a series of injuries sidelined offensive players such as second baseman Dustin Pedroia (foot), center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury (ribs) and catchers Victor Martinez (thumb) and Jason Varitek (foot).
The Red Sox scored just 11 runs while losing three of four to the Rangers coming out of the All-Star break.
Oakland’s Ben Sheets will attempt to keep the Boston offense off stride. Sheets lost to the Red Sox in early June when he gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings.
Sheets (4-8) has a 4.63 ERA this season. Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew is batting .294 with four homers off Sheets in 34 career at-bats.
Diasuke Matsuzaka (6-3, 4.56 ERA) starts for Boston and he defeated Sheets in the June matchup when he gave up three runs and 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Oakland’s hottest hitter over the past month has been shortstop Cliff Pennington. He is batting .430 (37-for-86) and has scored 19 runs over the last 27 games.
Boston’s Kevin Youkilis is 7-for-11 over his last three games to raise his season average to .301.