Athletics at Twins
The Oakland Athletics displayed their resiliency after having their six-game winning streak halted in the series opener. Oakland attempts to earn at least a split of the four-game set when it visits the American League Central-leading Minnesota Twins on Saturday.
After yielding fewer than three runs in each of their first five contests since the All-Star break, the Athletics suffered a 6-3 loss in Thursday's opener before bouncing back with a 5-3 triumph. Marcus Semien went 3-for-4 with a homer and Khris Davis drove in a pair of runs for Oakland, which owns a one-game lead over Tampa Bay for the AL's second wild card and sits one behind Cleveland for the first. Semien has recorded multi-hit performances in five of his last eight contests while Matt Olson is riding a 14-game hitting streak after going 2-for-4 with an RBI on Friday. Marwin Gonzalez belted the major league-leading 178th home run - a two-run shot - for Minnesota, which suffered its fourth loss in five contests as its lead over the Indians in the AL Central was reduced to three games.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Oakland), FS North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Brett Anderson 9-5, 3.79 ERA) vs. Twins RH Jose Berrios (8-5, 3.10)
Anderson settled for a no-decision against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday after allowing two runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. The 31-year-old Texan has given up more than three runs just once in his last 10 turns and issued more than two walks in only three of his 19 outings this season. Anderson owns a 3-3 record with one complete game and a 3.83 ERA in seven starts and two relief appearances against Minnesota in his career.
Berrios' winless streak reached six starts Sunday at Cleveland as he gave up three runs on six hits and three walks over five innings of a no-decision. The 25-year-old Puerto Rican, whose last win came on June 6 - also at Cleveland - is 0-3 during his drought but has allowed three runs or fewer in five of the outings. Berrios fell to 0-2 with a 6.32 ERA in three career starts against the Athletics on July 4, when he permitted three runs and six hits in five frames at Oakland.
WALK-OFFS
1. Athletics All-Star 3B Matt Chapman has been kept out of the starting lineup for each of the first two games of the series due to a sore left ankle but entered Friday's contest as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning.
2. Minnesota 2B Jonathan Schoop also has yet to start in the set because of a mild abdominal strain.
3. Oakland LHP Sean Manaea (shoulder) will make a rehab start for Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday after tossing 3 2/3 scoreless innings in an outing for Single-A Stockton on Thursday.