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Jul 4, 2010 - 4:44 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Oakland (40-41) at Cleveland (31-48), 1:05 p.m. EDT

For whatever reason, the Oakland Athletics do their best work on the mound under natural light.

The Athletics hope that trend continues with a strong effort from Vin Mazzaro on Sunday when they finish a three-game road series against the Cleveland Indians.

Oakland (40-42) has baseball's best ERA in day games at 2.92, going 18-10 for the third-best mark in the majors. The Athletics' night record of 22-32 is the second-worst in the AL, ahead of only Baltimore.

Mazzaro (3-2, 4.25 ERA) has a 3.86 ERA in day games as opposed to a 4.74 mark at night heading into his second start against the team that handed him his first major league loss exactly one year ago. He gave up five runs over six innings last July 4 in a 5-2 loss at Cleveland (32-48) after starting his career with 13 2-3 scoreless innings over two victories.

The right-hander won for the first time since June 8 when he yielded one run over six innings in a 4-2 win Tuesday at Baltimore. Mazzaro overcame a career-worst six walks as he filled in admirably for an injured Dallas Braden, who was placed on the disabled list Saturday.

"It's not easy three hours before the game to be told you're starting, but I was ready. And I'm a competitor," Mazzaro said. "It would be nice to get a heads-up, but whatever."

The A's starter will face a Cleveland lineup without top slugger Shin-Soo Choo, who missed Saturday's 5-4, 10-inning win for the Indians because of an injury to his right thumb.

Choo was injured while attempting a diving catch on Jack Cust's eighth-inning double Friday night. He's headed for the DL after his glove hand appeared to bend awkwardly when he hit the ground.

Choo leads the Indians with 13 homers and 43 RBIs in 78 games.

Without Choo on Saturday, Cleveland won for the sixth time in seven games on Matt LaPorta's RBI single in the 10th inning.

Oakland has still won eight of 10 against Cleveland. The A's have posted shutouts in all three wins in this year's season series.

Manager Bob Geren will give slumping Kevin Kouzmanoff the day off. Kouzmanoff is hitless in nine at-bats in this series and mired in a career-worst 0-for-29 slump.

"I am going to give him tomorrow off just to give him a little physical and mental break," Geren said.

Cleveland's Fausto Carmona (7-6, 3.68) has a lower ERA in July (3.80) than any other month. Carmona went 3-3 with a 3.66 ERA last month in six starts.

The right-hander closed out his June by yielding four runs over 6 1-3 innings Tuesday to earn a 5-4 home victory over Toronto, recording 13 groundball outs in the process.

"I used the sinker, some sliders, and had very good defense behind me," Carmona said.

Carmona is 3-3 with a 5.94 ERA in seven career starts against the A's, allowing one run over 7 1-3 innings April 24 in a 6-1 road victory.