Oakland @ San Francisco preview
AT&T Park
Last Meeting ( Jul 13, 2018 ) Oakland 1, San Francisco 7
The Oakland Athletics have won five consecutive series, but that streak will be in jeopardy when they visit the San Francisco Giants on Saturday for the middle contest of their three-game interleague set. Oakland, which is 7-0-1 in its last eight series, managed only three hits Friday as it opened the first installment of the Bay Bridge Series with a 7-1 setback.
Chad Pinder produced one of the Athletics' hits, a solo home run in the fifth inning that gave him two blasts and four RBIs over his last three games. Rookie Steven Duggar led the charge for San Francisco, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored, while Buster Posey also recorded two hits and drove in a pair of runs. The 24-year-old Duggar has hit safely in each of his first four major-league contests as he is 6-for-21 with three doubles and three RBIs. Brandon Belt hopes to regain his swing as he has gone 0-for-8 over the last two games after going 8-for-15 over his previous four contests.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NBCS California (Oakland), NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Brett Anderson (1-2, 5.75 ERA) vs. Giants RH Jeff Samardzija (1-5, 6.42)
Anderson's return from a lengthy stay on the disabled list due to a strained shoulder was an impressive one as he scattered three hits over five scoreless innings in a victory at Cleveland on Sunday. The 30-year-old Texan had not pitched since May 18, when he allowed two hits in one frame at Toronto before exiting with the injury. Anderson has made nine career starts against San Francisco, going 2-4 with a 4.53 ERA.
Samardzija also came back from a stint on the DL that lasted over a month last weekend but was not as fortunate as Anderson as he suffered the loss against St. Louis on Saturday after giving up three runs and seven hits in five innings. The 33-year-old native of Indiana, who is winless since his season debut against the Los Angeles Angels, hadn't pitched since yielding two runs in one frame of a loss at Colorado on May 29. Samardzija owns a 2-2 record and 7.92 ERA in four career starts versus Oakland.
WALK-OFFS
1. Athletics 2B Jed Lowrie (leg) exited the series opener in the fifth inning after colliding with teammate Stephen Piscotty two frames earlier.
2. San Francisco signed OF Peter Bourjos, who batted .205 with a homer and four RBIs for Atlanta earlier this season, to a minor-league contract and expect him to report to Triple-A Sacramento.
3. Oakland purchased the contract of LHP Jeremy Bleich from Triple-A Nashville, optioned RHP Josh Lucas to the Sounds and transferred RHP Andrew Triggs (arm) to the 60-day disabled list.
PREDICTION: Giants 4, Athletics 3