Oakland @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 22, 2012 ) Minnesota 1, Oakland 5

The Oakland Athletics look to build upon their advantage in the American League West when they begin a three-game series at the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday. Oakland has won its last three games and carries a two-game lead on the Texas Rangers, who host the Athletics this weekend. Oakland has the right man on the mound to start its road trip in winning fashion as starter Jarrod Parker has won nine straight decisions.

Those three games against Texas are the only ones Oakland has against a team with a winning record the rest of the way, including seven against Minnesota. The Athletics got off a good start against the easy stretch of opponents by taking three of four against Houston over the weekend, capped by a 7-2 triumph on Sunday. The Twins snapped a 10-game slide at home - tied for the longest in franchise history - with a 6-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), FSN North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Jarrod Parker (11-6, 3.57 ERA) vs. Twins RH Liam Hendriks (1-2, 5.28)

Parker's last loss came at Texas on May 22. Since that outing, he has a 2.59 ERA to go along with the nine straight victories over a span of 18 starts, including a win over the Rangers on Wednesday in which Parker yielded two runs in six frames. The 24-year-old is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two career starts at Minnesota.

Hendriks is 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in three starts since being recalled from Triple-A Rochester on Aug. 24. He lasted only 4 1/3 innings in two of those three outings, including Wednesday at Houston when he gave up eight hits and a pair of walks in that abbreviated appearance. Hendriks is 0-6 in 11 career starts at home.

WALK-OFFS

1. Parker's nine-game winning streak is the longest for an Oakland pitcher since Dan Haren won 10 straight in 2007 and his 18-start unbeaten run is the longest for an Athletics hurler since Hall of Famer Lefty Grove went 21 starts without a loss in 1931.

2. Oakland LF Yoenis Cespedes is hitting .406 in September after posting an average of .237 or lower in each of the first five months of the season.

3. Minnesota is 18-8 against AL West opponents.

PREDICTION: Athletics 6, Twins 4