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Athletics-Orioles Preview

Aug 11, 2009 - 4:19 AM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

Oakland (49-62) at Baltimore (46-65), 7:05 p.m. EDT

Baltimore is going to have to find a way to get more production from its lineup to have a chance to finally beat the Oakland Athletics. A matchup with Trevor Cahill could be just what the Orioles need.

The light-hitting Orioles look to snap a nine-game skid against the Athletics and saddle Cahill with his fourth straight loss Tuesday night.

Baltimore (46-66) opened this series by going 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position in a 9-1 loss Monday night. The Orioles fell to 0-4 versus the Athletics (50-62) this season, and their nine-game losing streak against them is the longest in Baltimore history.

Oakland is 64-27 (.703) against Baltimore since the start of the 1999 season. No AL team has a better winning percentage against the Orioles in that span.

Facing a surging A's lineup hasn't helped matters. Oakland has won six of eight and is averaging 6.7 runs over its last seven games, hitting 12 homers.

All of the A's starters had at least one hit and five players scored Monday.

Baltimore, meanwhile, has lost five of six, scoring three runs or fewer in each of the defeats.

"It seems like when we do hit the ball hard, we hit it right at somebody. And it seems like when we get opportunities to make productive outs and drive a run in, we don't," manager Dave Trembley said.

Baltimore has a chance to break out at the plate against Cahill (6-11, 5.13 ERA).

Cahill has posted a 9.37 ERA in losing his last three starts, surrendering five home runs in 16 1-3 innings. He gave up five runs and eight hits - two home runs - in six innings of a 6-4 defeat to Texas on Thursday night.

"When you're around the plate a lot, home runs can happen," manager Bob Geren said.

The rookie right-hander, though, won his only start against the Orioles, yielding two runs in six innings of a 9-4 victory June 6.

Baltimore will counter with rookie David Hernandez (3-4, 3.96), who is coming off the worst start of his career. He lasted three innings against Detroit on Thursday night, allowing five runs and seven hits to lose 7-3.

The right-hander's only career appearance versus the A's was in relief, striking out four in 2 2-3 scoreless innings June 6.

Baltimore rookie Matt Wieters won't be Hernandez's batterymate after starting five straight games for the first time. Trembley said Chad Moeller will be behind the plate for the middle game of this series.

Moeller, a career .223 hitter, offers little help for a Baltimore lineup in desperate need of a boost. The Orioles, though, did have some bright spots at the plate Monday.

Left fielder Luke Scott hit his 19th home run - three shy of matching a career high, set last season. It was his first homer since July 11.

Right fielder Nick Markakis went 1 for 4, reaching base for the 31st straight game - the longest active streak in the major leagues.