Oakland @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 23, 2011 ) Oakland 3, LA Angels 1

THE STORY: The Los Angeles Angels look to keep their fading playoff hopes alive when they host the third game of a four-game series with Oakland on Saturday night. The Athletics posted a 3-1 victory on Friday night, allowing Texas to clinch the American League West title and pushing the Angels 3 1/2 games behind Boston in the AL wild-card race.

TV: 9:05 p.m. ET, Comcast Sports (Oakland); KCOP (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Guillermo Moscoso (8-9, 3.35 ERA) vs. Angels RH Jerome Williams (3-0, 3.22 ERA).

Moscoso has pitched well in his four September starts, posting a 1.71 ERA, a 0.68 WHIP and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 20:5. He took a loss Sept. 18 against Justin Verlander and Detroit despite striking out eight and allowing just one run in six innings. Moscoso struggled somewhat against the Angels on Sept. 13 (4 2/3 IP, 3 ER), but he had not allowed a run in 8 1/3 previous innings against them.

Williams, who had not pitched in the major leagues since 2007, has been a valuable contributor since being called up by the Angels in mid-August. He has posted a 1.80 ERA in September, making three starts and one relief appearance during that span. Williams avoided a decision in his worst outing of the month, which came at Oakland on Sept. 13 (4 1/3 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 5 BB).

ABOUT THE ATHLETICS (71-86): Oakland has gotten solid pitching for much of the year but struggled offensively, ranking 12th in the American League with just 626 runs scored. Rookie 2B Jemile Weeks has provided a spark, batting .302 and hitting his first two career home runs Thursday and Friday, but no other Oakland regular is batting higher than .268.

ABOUT THE ANGELS (85-72): Los Angeles leads the American League in ERA and most other major pitching categories, but the team has failed to produce offense on a consistent basis. The Angels have scored 28 runs in their last three wins but just 11 in five losses since Sept. 16. The team's bullpen has also struggled at times, blowing 24 of 62 save opportunities.

FINAL PITCH: Friday's win by the Athletics was just their fourth in their last 14 games in Anaheim.