Tigers at Athletics
The Oakland Athletics look to ride the momentum of a dramatic victory and claim a series win when they finish a four-game set at home against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday. Josh Donaldson's game-winning three-run homer ended a classic pitchers' duel Wednesday night, lifting Oakland to a 3-1 win behind Scott Kazmir's first complete game in almost eight years. The lefty's performance gave Athletics starters a 22-11 record and a 2.83 ERA on the season.
Oakland has won two of three to begin the series after dropping four straight on the road, and the walk-off blast kept Detroit mired in a slump that seemed to come out of nowhere. After opening the season 27-12, the Tigers have gone 2-8 with three losses coming in their opponents' last at-bat and the other five defeats by an average of 7.8 runs. Detroit, which lost outfielder Rajai Davis to a left shoulder contusion in the seventh inning Wednesday, has dropped five of its last six on the road following an 11-game win streak away from home.
TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit (Detroit)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Rick Porcello (7-2, 3.88 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Jesse Chavez (4-2, 2.61)
Porcello's personal six-game winning streak came to a crashing halt against Texas at home Saturday, when he was reached for eight runs on 12 hits in 5 1/3 innings. He gave up multiple home runs for the first time in 12 starts dating to last season and walked more than one batter for the third time in 2014. The former first-round pick, who has let up four runs in 21 innings on the road this month, is 0-4 with a 5.46 ERA in six games (five starts) at Oakland in his career.
After going 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA in April, Chavez is 2-2 with a 3.75 mark in May while serving up five homers over his last three outings. He yielded four runs (two earned) on a season high-tying eight hits in 5 1/3 innings at Toronto on Saturday to suffer his second loss of the season. The 30-year-old converted reliever has allowed two or fewer runs in three of his four home starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Opponents are hitting .149 with runners in scoring position against Chavez.
2. Oakland is 11-4 against American League Central opponents.
3. Tigers RH Joba Chamberlain has not allowed a run in 13 of his last 14 appearances.