Boston @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 11, 2010 ) Boston 3, Oakland 4

The Oakland Athletics aren’t yet ready to call it a season.

Oakland has moved over the .500 mark and is looking for a sweep of the Boston Red Sox when the two teams meet in Oakland on Sunday afternoon.

The Athletics have kept their slim chances of catching the Texas Rangers alive by winning six of their last eight games to raise their record to 71-70.

The resiliency of a team that has suffered through a high amount of injuries prompted club management to announce Saturday that Bob Geren will return as manager in 2011.

Though Oakland appears destined to miss out on the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season, the team has made progress this season while playing scrappy baseball to support a young starting staff.

One of the young pitchers making strides, Dallas Braden, will be on the mound Sunday. Braden achieved baseball immortality earlier this season when he tossed a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The left-hander went nine starts without winning and spent time on the disabled list with elbow issues after his perfect game. He followed by winning five of seven decisions to get back to the .500 mark before losing his last two starts to fall to 9-11.

Braden, who has a 3.47 earned-run average, gave up six runs and nine hits in five innings while losing to Seattle in this last start. In his previous five outings, Braden gave up one run or less in four of them, including two complete-game victories.

Braden went 4 2/3 innings in his lone start against Boston this season, giving up four runs – one earned – and 10 hits. He has a 1-1 mark and 4.50 ERA in three career starts against the Red Sox.

Josh Beckett (4-4, 5.91 ERA) starts for Boston and the right-hander is trying to salvage a season that was interrupted for two-plus months due to a back injury.

Beckett has pitched well in his last three outings, striking out 21 and walking just four in 19 2/3 innings. He’s only 1-1 during that stretch despite allowing just six earned runs.

Beckett is 4-3 with a 4.40 ERA in seven career starts against Oakland.

Shortstop Mario Scutaro was back in the lineup Saturday after missing Friday’s game with shoulder pain. Scutaro homered off Brett Anderson and has three homers in his last games.

Scutaro has a .571 (8-for-14) career average against Anderson. Red Sox third baseman Adrian Beltre also has enjoyed success against Anderson, having batted .462 (6-of-13). Beltre went 2-for-3 on Saturday and is batting .441 (15-for-34) against Oakland this season.

Oakland designated hitter Jack Cust has reached base six times in the series (three hits, three walks) and had two RBIs in Saturday’s victory.