Los Angeles @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 11, 2018 ) Oakland 16, LA Dodgers 6

The Oakland Athletics are the hottest team in baseball as they make a surprising run at the Houston Astros atop the American League West. The Athletics will try to stay perfect on the homestand and stretch their winning streak to seven straight when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a two-game interleague series on Tuesday.

Oakland won the first six games of the homestand over the Toronto Blue Jays and Detroit Tigers by a combined score of 33-7 and enters the week four games behind the Astros in the AL West. "It's tough to sweep a team seven games over the season," Athletics manager Bob Melvin told reporters. "We've done that twice with Toronto and Detroit. We're on a nice roll right now. The more games you win, the more confidence you have. It seems to be playing out right now." Oakland is 11-7 in interleague play this season and split a two-game series in April against the Dodgers, who enter the week tied for first in the NL West after avoiding a three-game sweep and doing the Athletics a favor with a 3-2 victory over the Astros on Sunday. Los Angeles will send veteran lefty Rich Hill to the mound on Tuesday while Oakland turns to ace Sean Manaea.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Oakland), SportsNet Los Angeles

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Rich Hill (4-4, 3.63 ERA) vs. Athletics LH Sean Manaea (10-7, 3.38)

Hill is thriving since the All-Star break with a total of two earned runs allowed in 19 innings spread over three starts. The 38-year-old added 21 strikeouts in that span and won the first two starts before settling for a no-decision against Milwaukee on Wednesday. Hill, who posted a 2.25 ERA in 14 starts for Oakland in 2016 before being traded to Los Angeles, is 2-1 with a 3.09 ERA in seven road starts this season.

Manaea allowed three or fewer earned runs in each of his last 11 starts and earned a win over Toronto on Wednesday by yielding one run and five hits across six innings. The 26-year-old is holding opponents to a .220 batting average and is fifth in the AL with a 1.01 WHIP. Manaea surrendered solo home runs to Chris Taylor and Corey Seager in five innings at Los Angeles on April 10 and was saddled with a loss.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Athletics acquired RHP Shawn Kelley from the Washington Nationals on Sunday.

2. Dodgers OF Yasiel Puig (right oblique) was held out of the lineup on Sunday and is day-to-day.

3. Oakland OF Khris Davis homered in four of the last seven games to bring his season total to 31.

PREDICTION: Athletics 3, Dodgers 1