Rays at Athletics
The Tampa Bay Rays continue their 10-game road trip when they visit the Oakland Athletics for the opener of a three-game series on Friday. The Rays improved to 2-5 on the trek Thursday as they earned a split of their four-game set at Houston with a 1-0 triumph.
Desmond Jennings went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and Chris Archer struck out 11 while tossing a one-hitter as Tampa Bay pulled within a game of .500 (60-61). Oakland looks to extend its home winning streak to six games after sweeping a two-game set from the Los Angeles Dodgers. The victories followed a road trip during with the Athletics lost all seven contests. The Rays and Athletics split a four-game series in May, with home team Tampa Bay capturing the first two contests and Oakland taking the final two.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), CSN California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH Drew Smyly (0-2, 4.35 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Chris Bassitt (1-4, 2.60)
Smyly was rocked on Sunday in his first start since May 5, surrendering five runs and seven hits over four innings in a loss at Texas. The 26-year-old native of Arkansas, who had been sidelined with a torn labrum, yielded a total of five runs in 16 2/3 frames over his first three outings of the season. Smyly has yet to defeat Oakland in his career, going 0-2 with a brutal 9.95 ERA in five games (two starts).
Bassitt worked a career-high eight innings at Baltimore on Saturday but did not factor in the decision after allowing three runs and five hits. It was the second straight no-decision for the 26-year-old from Ohio after he scattered five hits over seven scoreless frames against the Orioles on Aug. 4 for his first win of the year. Bassitt, who never has faced Tampa Bay, has posted a 1.91 ERA in seven games (five starts) at home this season but owns a 1-3 record.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rays LHP Jake McGee landed on the 15-day disabled list with a torn meniscus in his left knee and is slated to undergo arthroscopic surgery on Friday.
2. Oakland 1B-OF Mark Canha has gone 8-for-12 over his last three games and has hit safely in nine of his last 10 contests.
3. Tampa Bay recalled LHP Enny Romero from Triple-A Durham to replace McGee on the roster.