Oakland @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 9, 2014 ) Oakland 2, San Francisco 5

The San Francisco Giants attempt to earn a split of the four-game Bay Bridge Series when they host the league-leading Oakland Athletics on Thursday afternoon. San Francisco was outscored 11-1 in losing a pair of contests at Oakland before spoiling Jason Hammel's debut for the Athletics with a 5-2 triumph Wednesday. All-Star Hunter Pence recorded two hits and two RBIs while Matt Cain worked six solid innings to halt a seven-start winless streak and post his first victory since May 15.

The loss snapped Oakland's winning streak as the American League West leader was seeking a season-high seventh straight victory. The Athletics fell to 9-2 in interleague action this season while the Giants improved to 7-4 versus AL opponents. Oakland has had very little success against the Giants on the road, losing 13 of its last 15 games in San Francisco.

TV: 3:45 p.m. ET, MLBN, CSN California (Oakland), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Scott Kazmir (10-3, 2.53 ERA) vs. Giants RH Tim Hudson (7-5, 2.53)

Kazmir appears to have recovered from his worst outing of the season June 24 versus the New York Mets, when he was tagged for seven runs in three innings, as he has allowed a total of two runs and seven hits with 15 strikeouts in 12 1/3 frames over his last two starts. The 30-year-old All-Star has held the opposition to fewer than three runs in 12 of his 18 starts and seven of his last eight. Kazmir, who is 4-2 in 10 road outings, never has faced San Francisco.

Hudson saw his winless streak reach four starts Saturday at San Diego despite limiting the Padres to one run and three hits in six innings. The veteran - who will celebrate his 39th birthday Monday - has been just as stingy as Kazmir this season, allowing fewer than three runs in 12 of his 17 outings. Hudson lost the only career start against the team with which he began his career, surrendering five runs on five hits and five walks in five innings May 17, 2008 while with Atlanta.

WALK-OFFS

1. Athletics SS Jed Lowrie is riding a streak of five straight multi-hit performances and has recorded two hits in eight of his last 12 contests.

2. San Francisco RF Pence homered and singled Wednesday, giving him multi-hit efforts in four of his last five games.

3. Oakland C Stephen Vogt enters Thursday with a career-best nine-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Athletics 4, Giants 3