Detroit @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 3, 2018 ) Detroit 0, Oakland 1

The Oakland Athletics vie for their fifth consecutive victory when they host the Detroit Tigers on Saturday for the middle contest of their three-game set. The Athletics outlasted the Tigers in the series opener as a newcomer provided the key hit in the 13th inning of a 1-0 triumph.

Ramon Laureano was recalled from the minors prior to the game and was hitless in his first four at-bats while starting in center field in his major-league debut before delivering an RBI single as Oakland improved to 4-0 on its eight-game homestand. The 24-year-old Dominican was hitting .297 with 14 homers and 35 RBIs over 64 contests with Triple-A Nashville before being promoted. Jose Iglesias and Nicholas Castellanos each recorded two of the six hits produced by the Tigers, who were coming off a 3-2 homestand. Iglesias has hit safely in six of his last seven contests while Castellanos had gone 1-for-24 over his previous six games.

TV: 9:05 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, NBCS California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Jordan Zimmermann (4-3, 4.44 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Edwin Jackson (2-2, 3.32)

Zimmermann lasted only three innings against Cleveland on Sunday as he surrendered five runs and six hits en route to losing his third straight start. The 32-year-old native of Wisconsin has been tagged for 13 runs and 24 hits over 14 2/3 frames during his losing streak after yielding a total of two runs over 20 innings in his previous three turns. Zimmermann is 1-0 with a 2.60 ERA in three career starts against Oakland, including a no-decision on June 25 in which he scattered four hits over five scoreless frames.

Jackson halted his four-start winless streak on Monday as he scattered three hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings against Toronto. The victory was the 100th of the 34-year-old journeyman's career and first since June 30, when he limited Cleveland to two hits - a pair of solo homers - over 6 2/3 frames. Jackson is 4-2 with one shutout and a 3.23 ERA in 11 starts and five relief appearances against the Tigers, including a no-decision at Detroit in his debut with Oakland on June 25 in which he gave up one run and six hits over six innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Athletics 2B Jed Lowrie notched two hits on Friday after recording just one over his previous four contests.

2. Detroit acquired RHP Christian Binford from Baltimore for a player to be named or cash and assigned him to Double-A Erie.

3. Oakland sent RHP Carlos Ramirez outright to Nashville.

PREDICTION: Tigers 5, Athletics 3