A’s Welcome Yankees for Midweek Series
Coco Crisp and the Oakland Athletics will hope to have something to smile about as they host the New York Yankees this week.
The Oakland Athletics return to the Bay Area on Tuesday looking to enjoy some home cooking.
The A’s have recorded eight straight wins at O.co Coliseum, a streak that dates back to the middle of May. If the club is to record a ninth, it’ll need to get by C.C. Sabathia and the New York Yankees.
The two clubs begin a three-game set – their last of the regular season – Tuesday night, with both looking to gain ground on their respective division leaders.
The A’s lost 4-2 on Sunday, finishing a four-game set with the Chicago White Sox tied 2-2. The loss, coupled with a win for the Texas Rangers, saw Oakland (38-27, 18-10 home) slip back to second-place in the AL West, a position the club has occupied for much of the season. The Rangers are currently 1/2 game out in front.
New York (37-26, 18-13 road) meanwhile closed out a four-game series against the Seattle Mariners with a 2-1 victory on Sunday. Ichiro Suzuki scored the winning run against his former club. Winners of six of the last seven, the Yankees currently trail the Boston Red Sox by 1 1/2 games in the AL East.
Oakland welcomes the Yankees having taken two of three from the Bronx Bombers at Yankee Stadium back in May. The side will be quietly confident heading into the series thanks to a good run of form of late. Prior to two losses in Chicago this weekend, the A’s had taken 13 wins from 15 games. In the process, the team cut into the Rangers’ lead at the top of the division, which stood at seven games back on May 15.
The Yankees will also be confident though. Despite an extensive list of injuries – which includes Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez – the side has played well and continues to put together wins. The recent returns of Mark Teixiera (3 HR, 8 RBIs) and Kevin Youkilis (2 HR, 8 RBIs) adds two more bona fide bats to an order that has seen solid performances by the latest crop of incoming veterans, including Lyle Overbay (8 HR, 29 RBIs), Vernon Wells (10 HR, 25 RBIs) and Travis Hafner (10 HR, 29 RBIs).
The two sides split 10 games last season, winning five apiece. The A’s were 4-3 in those games played at O.co Coliseum.
Bartolo Colon will take to the mound against his former club on Tuesday night.
Bartolo Colon (7-2, 3.14 ERA) is scheduled to pitch in Tuesday’s series opener. The veteran right-hander experienced a career renaissance with the Yankees in 2011, before signing with Oakland ahead of last season.
Since making the move, he has struggled against his former club, recording a 0-2 record in three starts. During that period he has given up 13 runs on 23 hits, including five homeruns. He has walked just one batter and struck out 11 in 18 total innings of play.
Colon will be up against the ace of the Yankee staff, C.C. Sabathia. The powerful left-hander has won his previous two starts after experiencing a barren stretch of five games in which he went 0-2. Sabathia recorded a complete game last time out (June 5) against his former club, the Cleveland Indians.
Both Colon and Sabathia have already recorded losses in the season head-to-head. Colon gave up three runs on six hits at Yankee Stadium on May 4, while Sabathia yielded two runs on eight hits a day earlier.
New York Yankees vs. Oakland Athletics odds for 6/11/13 will be available tomorrow (Tuesday).
Notes
Yankees’ pitcher Michael Pineda – who was acquired from the Mariners following the 2011 season – made his first minor league start on Sunday. Pineda has yet to play a game for the Yankees after undergoing shoulder surgery in May 2012.
Former A’s pitcher Brandon McCarthy recently suffered a seizure relating to the horrific head injury he suffered last September. The right-hander – currently on the 15-day disabled list – is said to be doing fine after being prescribed new medication. McCarthy is 2-2 with a 5.00 ERA in 11 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks this season.
Oakland’s AL West rivals all begin three-game series tonight (Monday). First, the Los Angeles Angels travel to the Baltimore Orioles; then the Rangers welcome the Indians to Arlington; and finally, the Mariners host the Houston Astros. Odds for all games are available now at the following links:
Los Angeles Angels vs. Baltimore Orioles odds for 6/10/13
