Athletics at Royals
The Oakland Athletics continue to flourish on the road and can clinch another series win away from home when they continue a three-game set at the Kansas City Royals on Saturday. The Athletics hammered out 16 hits - including two home runs by Matt Olson - in a 16-0 rout to begin the series, improving to 7-1 in their last eight road games.
Rookie Dustin Fowler also homered twice and drove in four runs for Oakland, which also improved to 20-9 against teams outside of its division. Whit Merrifield had three of the Royals' eight hits as they fell to 2-2 on their six-game homestand. They'll try to bounce back behind veteran right-hander Jason Hammel, who is seeking his first victory in five tries at home this year. The Athletics, who are averaging 8.6 runs during their five-game road winning streak, counter with Trevor Cahill.
TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Oakland), FS Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Trevor Cahill (1-2, 2.25 ERA) vs. Royals RH Jason Hammel (2-5, 5.23)
Cahill has three scoreless starts out of seven overall and was unscored upon in eight frames against Tampa Bay on Monday. Opponents are hitting .194 and have drawn only nine walks against the California native, although he is 0-2 with a 5.06 ERA on the road. Mike Moustakas has two hits and a walk in three career plate appearances against Cahill, who has a 6.86 ERA in five games (three starts) at Kauffman Stadium.
Hammel will be making his 350th career appearance and is looking to stretch his winning streak to three games. He allowed one run and struck out 16 in 12 1/3 innings during the back-to-back victories, both of which came on the road. Stephen Piscotty is 4-for-13 with a home run, a triple and a double against the 35-year-old Hammel, who is 4-2 with a 4.67 ERA in his career against Oakland.
WALK-OFFS
1. Royals OF Jon Jay went 0-for-4 in the opener to snap a 12-game hitting streak.
2. Athletics RHP Frankie Montas tossed eight scoreless innings in Friday's win as Oakland's staff reduced its ERA to 2.47 over its last 14 games.
3. Oakland reinstated SS Marcus Semien from the paternity list and optioned INF Franklin Barreto to Triple-A Nashville.