American League Preview from The Sports Network
Friday, April 27th
(All times Eastern)
Oakland Athletics (10-10) at Baltimore Orioles (12-7), 7:05 p.m.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Oakland - Brandon McCarthy (0-3, 3.38)
Baltimore - Jake Arrieta (1-1, 4.01)
(Sports Network) - Right-hander Jake Arrieta makes his second career start
against Oakland in search of his first win tonight when the Baltimore Orioles
host the Athletics in the opener of a three-game set at Camden Yards.
The 26-year-old Missouri native lost his only meeting with Oakland after
allowing three earned runs on seven hits in six innings of an 8-1 verdict on
July 1, 2010.
The defeat came in Arrieta's fifth major-league appearance.
He went 6-6 in 18 starts as a rookie and jumped to 10 wins in 22 starts as a
second-year player last season. In four starts thus far in 2012, Arrieta has
split two decisions while allowing 20 hits and 13 runs in 24 2/3 innings.
He's 1-0 with a 2.63 in 13 2/3 innings at home.
Oakland counters with 28-year-old righty Brandon McCarthy, who makes his sixth
start of the season while aiming for victory No. 1.
A California native, the former Chicago White Sox draft pick made 65
appearances with his initial team over two seasons before heading to Texas in
a deal that sent pitchers Nick Masset and John Danks to Chicago.
He pitched in 55 games with the Rangers over three seasons and won 13 times
before signing with Oakland as a free agent and winning a career-best nine
times last season.
McCarthy had a loss and a no-decision in his first three outings this spring
before dropping his last two, at Los Angeles and home to Cleveland.
He's 1-1 lifetime against Baltimore and lost his only road start so far in
2012.
On Thursday in Baltimore, Adam Jones and Chris Davis homered in a three-run
eighth inning, pushing the Orioles past Toronto, 5-2, to sweep a three-game
set.
Nick Markakis finished with three hits and Ryan Flaherty added an RBI for the
Orioles, who have won four straight.
Darren O'Day (2-0) turned in two scoreless relief innings for the win. Starter
Brian Matusz allowed four hits and a pair of unearned runs over six full
frames.
On Wednesday in Oakland, Kila Ka'aihue knocked in the game-winning run as part
of a three-run bottom of the 14th, leading the A's to a 5-4 win over the
Chicago White Sox in the finale of a three-game series.
Ahead 4-2 going into the bottom of the frame, White Sox closer Hector Santiago
(0-1) got off to a good start by striking out Eric Sogard, but then gave up
five consecutive hits.
Josh Reddick started the parade with a single up the middle and Yoenis
Cespedes followed with a home run to left field to tie the game. Seth Smith
and Kurt Suzuki then stroked back-to-back singles and Ka'aihue ended the game
in walk-off fashion with a flare to left field that fell in fair territory to
give Oakland the win.
"A win is a win, we'll take them however they come," Ka'aihue said. "At the
end of the year they all count the same, so, it's a good team win, the guys
played hard and it was awesome."
Jim Miller (1-0) recorded the final out in the top of the 14th to pick up the
win for the A's, who have won three of their last four.
Cespedes went 3-for-5 with three RBI and Suzuki added three hits in the
victory.
The A's won five of nine versus the Orioles, but lost all three games in
Baltimore.
04/27 10:56:35 ET
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