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Athletics-Padres Preview

Jun 19, 2009 - 6:32 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Oakland (28-37) at San Diego (29-36), 10:05 p.m. EDT

Now that the San Diego Padres have snapped their major league record interleague losing streak, winning two in a row over an AL opponent could be less of a challenge with the Oakland Athletics in town.

On Friday night, the Padres look to win consecutive interleague games for the first time in two years when they open a three-game set against the struggling Athletics at Petco Park.

Adrian Gonzalez matched a career high with four hits and scored the winning run as San Diego snapped a 13-game interleague losing streak with a 4-3, 10-inning home victory Thursday over Seattle.

"The only thing that matters is that we won," said Gonzalez, who hit his 23rd homer to tie Albert Pujols for the major league lead. "Going 4 for 4 is a side note. Just the fact that we were able to win a game and end the losing streak and win a game against the American League, that was nice."

The Padres (29-36), 1-5 in interleague play in 2009, are 4-20 against AL opponents since the start of last season. San Diego, which is batting .238 versus the AL during that span, hasn't won consecutive interleague contests since a three-game winning stretch from June 13-19, 2007.

Facing last-place Oakland (28-37), however, could help achieve that feat. The A's lost 3-2 against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday for their seventh defeat in nine games since their season-high seven-game winning streak. Oakland is 2-7 in interleague play.

Gonzalez is hitting .348 (8 for 23) against AL opponents this season, and 8 for 18 (.444) in his last four games versus the A's.

Though San Diego snapped a five-game losing skid overall, it has scored just eight runs in its last five contests and faces talented Oakland rookie Josh Outman.

Outman (4-1, 3.43 ERA) looks to bounce back after suffering his first loss of the season. The 24-year-old Outman allowed four runs and five hits in six innings of a 5-2 loss at San Francisco on Saturday.

"I'm going to lose games eventually," said the left-hander, who was upset with some poor defense behind him and the club's bullpen, which allowed two inherited runners to score. "That was absolutely the worst way to lose a game. I didn't get to give up my own runs. It's just frustrating. Those things are going to happen."

With Chris Young currently on the disabled list due to shoulder inflammation, San Diego counters with recent minor league call-up Wade LeBlanc.

The left-handed LeBlanc, who went 1-2 with an 8.20 ERA in four starts for the Padres last season, was 1-4 with a 4.08 ERA for Triple-A Portland.

Orlando Cabrera had two hits Thursday for Oakland, which has scored 28 runs in interleague play.

This is the first meeting between the teams since 2006. The A's lead 12-7 in the series.