Athletics at Yankees
The Oakland Athletics have sandwiched a pair of three-game winning streaks around a season-high four-game losing skid. The Athletics look to continue their winning ways at the expense of the New York Yankees on Wednesday when the clubs play the second contest of their three-game series in the Bronx.
Jed Lowrie matched a career high with four hits and scored the go-ahead run in Tuesday's 3-2 victory in 11 innings, marking Oakland's 19th win in the last 27 versus the Yankees. Lowrie and Marcus Semien each had an RBI single and the latter is 3-for-5 in his career versus Wednesday starter Nathan Eovaldi. A sputtering offense continues to plague the Yankees, who have mustered just 13 runs en route to dropping five of their last six games. Veteran Alex Rodriguez has answered an 0-for-16 stretch with three hits and three RBIs in his last two contests - including driving in a run on Tuesday.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Kendall Graveman (0-1, 2.38 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Nathan Eovaldi (0-1, 6.94)
Graveman is in search of his first victory despite allowing just three runs on seven hits in 11 1/3 innings this season. The 25-year-old was left with a no-decision last Tuesday despite yielding just one run on four hits in six frames against the Los Angeles Angels. Graveman also walked away with a no-decision in his lone outing versus New York, permitting three runs on seven hits - including a homer - in 5 2/3 innings.
Eovaldi has been victimized by the home-run ball this season, allowing two for the second straight outing on Thursday. The 26-year-old yielded a three-run shot to Josh Donaldson in the fifth and a solo blast to Troy Tulowitzki the following inning to mar an otherwise strong performance in a 4-2 setback to Toronto. Eovaldi has kept the ball in the park in all four career appearances versus Oakland, but owns a 5.09 ERA to go along with his 1-0 record while permitting the Athletics to bat .337 against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. Oakland CF Coco Crisp is 0-for-15 in his last five contests and 6-for-38 (.158) this season.
2. New York LF Brett Gardner is 8-for-16 with three runs scored during his four-game hitting streak.
3. Athletics 3B Danny Valencia has hit safely in nine of his last 10 contests.