Rays at Athletics
The Oakland Athletics hope to receive a third consecutive strong pitching performance when they host the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday afternoon for the opener of their four-game series. Oakland allowed a total of one run in back-to-back victories over Arizona, getting a complete-game shutout from Daniel Mengden on Saturday before Frankie Montas worked six solid innings in his season debut.
Three relievers followed Montas by registering four strikeouts over three perfect innings as the Athletics evened their record to 3-3 on a 10-game homestand. Tampa Bay is coming off its third win in four games, an 8-3 triumph over Baltimore that concluded a 3-3 stretch at home. The Rays yielded three runs in the top of the first inning but rallied for six in the third to secure the series win. Brad Miller, who went 2-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs on Sunday, scored in the opening frame to give the Rays 16 first-inning runs in their last 16 contests.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), NBCS California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Chris Archer (3-3, 4.68 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Trevor Cahill (1-2, 2.75)
Archer has pitched well this month, allowing fewer than three runs in four of his five starts, but has just one win to show for his efforts. The 29-year-old native of North Carolina settled for a no-decision against Boston on Wednesday despite giving up just one run and four hits over six innings. Archer has made two career starts versus Oakland, going 1-0 while yielding five runs on 13 hits and seven walks with 16 strikeouts in 11 1/3 frames.
Cahill also did not factor in the decision his last time out, when he allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings against Seattle on Tuesday. The 30-year-old Californian is winless since his season debut against the Chicago White Sox on April 17 despite surrendering three earned runs or fewer in each of his next five outings. Cahill owns a 2-1 record and 4.50 ERA in four starts and one relief appearance versus Tampa Bay.
WALK-OFFS
1. Athletics SS Marcus Semien went 2-for-4 on Sunday, giving him four two-hit performances in his last eight games.
2. Tampa Bay recalled RHP Jaime Schultz from Triple-A Durham and optioned LHP Anthony Banda to the Bulls.
3. Oakland optioned RHP Chris Bassitt to Triple-A Nashville to make room on the roster for Montas.