Tampa Bay @ Oakland preview
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Last Meeting ( Aug 19, 2010 ) Tampa Bay 3, Oakland 4
Don’t look now, but the Oakland Athletics are suddenly gaining ground on the American League West-leading Texas Rangers.
The Athletics rallied for the second consecutive game Thursday night thanks to No. 9 hitter Cliff Pennington. His two-run double capped a three-run sixth inning in a 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Trevor Cahill scattered seven hits over eight innings and the A’s improved to 52-0 when leading after eight as Jerry Blevins closed out the Rays for his first save.
Thursday’s outcome almost changed on an apparent two-run homer by Tampa Bay right fielder Matt Joyce that center fielder Coco Crisp snagged at the wall with a spectacular catch in the sixth inning. The shot would have given the Rays a 5-1 lead.
Pennington hit a game-ending RBI single in the ninth inning for a 5-4 victory over Toronto on Wednesday.
The back-to-back victories got the A’s (60-60) back to .500 and pulled them within seven games of the Rangers. The last time the A’s were that close was July 21.
The Rays (74-47) saw their five-game winning streak snapped and fell out of the AL East lead, one game behind the New York Yankees.
Still, the Rays are 14-7 against the AL West this season after going 12-21 against the division in 2009.
Tampa Bay will start rookie Jeremy Hellickson (3-0, 1.35 ERA) against Oakland’s Vin Mazzaro (6-5, 3.71) tonight in the second of the four-game series.
Hellickson has been sensational for the Rays, but his time in the starting rotation could be short as Wade Davis and Jeff Niemann – both on the disabled list with shoulder injuries – are expected back next week.
He has pitched at least six innings and allowed three or fewer hits in his three starts. He limited Baltimore to one run on three hits in six innings in a 3-2 victory.
Hellickson is keeping opponents to a .136 batting average and has 18 strikeouts and three walks in 20 innings.
Mazzaro has lost three consecutive decisions and has not won since July 24. He is 0-2 in August despite a 2.37 ERA.
Mazzaro allowed two runs – one earned – in six-plus innings in a 4-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Sunday.
Oakland closer Andrew Bailey is scheduled to pitch one inning for Triple-A Sacramento tonight as he tries to recover from a strained rib cage.