Tampa Bay @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( May 15, 2016 ) Oakland 7, Tampa Bay 6

The Tampa Bay Rays emerged from an extended slide to score 21 runs in back-to-back victories and strive to maintain the hot hitting on Thursday when they open a four-game series against the host Oakland Athletics. The Rays dropped 13 of their previous 15 games before the eruption at Coors Field that included a career-best, five-hit game from light-hitting infielder Tim Beckham in Wednesday's 11-3 triumph over the Colorado Rockies.

Beckham, batting .213, was 2-for-24 since mid-June before the unlikely display that included two RBI singles. Rays third baseman Evan Longoria has reeled off four consecutive two-hit outings and owns three homers, two triples, two doubles and seven RBIs during the stretch. Oakland has won four of six games since play resumed following the All-Star break despite losing 7-0 to Houston on Wednesday. Athletics right fielder Josh Reddick was 5-for-10 with two RBIs in the three-game set against the Astros but has just one homer in 18 games since returning from a fractured thumb.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, CSN California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH Matt Moore (5-7, 4.33 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Sonny Gray (4-8, 5.12)

Moore is 3-3 with a 2.51 ERA over his last seven starts and has allowed two or fewer earned runs six times during the stretch. He dropped his last two outings despite giving up just four total earned runs as the Rays tallied just once in each game. Moore is 0-1 with a 8.44 ERA in three career starts against Oakland and has struggled to retire Danny Valencia (5-for-11, two homers).

Gray halted a 12-start winless stretch by defeating Toronto last Saturday as he gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. He went 0-7 during his drought and gave up seven runs three times. Gray received a no-decision against Tampa Bay on May 15 when he served up three homers - two by Brandon Guyer - while allowing six runs (three earned) and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rays 2B Logan Forsythe is batting just .194 in July but is 4-for-10 over the last two contests.

2. Oakland LF Khris Davis is 1-for-16 over the past four contests - the hit being a homer - after going 5-for-8 with three blasts in the first two games after the All-Star break.

3. Tampa Bay OF Corey Dickerson is 6-for-10 with four runs scored over the last two games.

PREDICTION: Rays 5, Athletics 3