Pittsburgh @ Oakland preview
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Last Meeting ( Jul 2, 2016 ) Pittsburgh 4, Oakland 2
The Pittsburgh Pirates aim to complete a sweep when they visit the Oakland Athletics on Sunday for the finale of their three-game interleague series. Pittsburgh improved to 3-1 on their nine-game road trip Saturday as it overcame an early two-run deficit and pulled out a 4-2 triumph in 12 innings for its third straight triumph.
David Freese delivered the tiebreaking single for the Pirates, who have outscored the opposition 19-6 during their winning streak. Oakland has dropped three in a row after a stretch during which it won six of seven. Coco Crisp returned to the lineup Saturday after receiving a day off and doubled to extend his hitting streak to nine games. Marcus Semien went 0-for-4 on Saturday, marking only the second time in 10 contests he failed to record a hit.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), CSN California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (4-8, 5.33 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Daniel Mengden (1-3, 2.81)
Liriano is looking to halt a losing streak that reached five games on Monday, when he yielded five runs - four earned - on four hits and five walks in 4 1/3 innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 32-year-old Dominican has not won since defeating Arizona on May 24 - the last time he gave up fewer than four runs. Liriano has had mixed results against Oakland in his career, going 4-4 with a 4.14 ERA in 15 meetings (13 starts).
Mengden is coming off his first career victory, an 8-3 triumph at San Francisco in which he gave up two runs and four hits in 7 2/3 innings. It marked the first time in four outings the 23-year-old Texan did not serve up a home run. Mengden, who will be facing Pittsburgh for the first time, has yielded three runs or fewer in each of his four major-league starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Athletics are likely to place C Josh Phegley (knee) on the disabled list.
2. Pirates OF Matt Joyce is hitting .320 over his last 11 contests.
3. Oakland agreed to terms with Cuban star OF Lazaro Armenteros on Saturday.
PREDICTION: Athletics 4, Pirates 3