• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Athletics-Indians Preview

Aug 23, 2010 - 6:24 PM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Oakland (61-62) at Cleveland (50-74), 7:05 p.m. EDT

Oakland left-hander Gio Gonzalez has been very tough to hit lately even though he's won only once in the past month.

His results against the Cleveland Indians have been much more favorable.

Gonzalez will try for his third win in as many tries against the Indians while extending his scoreless streak against them when the Athletics open a three-game series at Progressive Field on Tuesday night.

Oakland (61-62) has received strong starting pitching this month, with members of the rotation pitching at least six innings in 21 consecutive games while posting a 2.11 ERA. They've given up three earned runs or fewer in 15 straight.

Gonzalez (10-8, 3.39 ERA) has a 2.12 ERA in his last five outings while holding opposing batters to a .169 average and no home runs. He only has a 1-2 record in that span after not getting a decision Wednesday, when he gave up one run and two hits in seven innings of a 5-4 win over Toronto.

The Indians know how tough Gonzalez can be. He's allowed 10 hits over 13 2-3 scoreless innings in two wins against them this year, most recently 6 2-3 innings in a 3-0 victory July 2. Gonzalez is 3-0 with a 1.16 ERA in four career starts against them.

Shin-Soo Choo is one of the few Cleveland hitters to have success against Gonzalez, going 4 for 11 with three doubles - 2 for 6 this year.

Gonzalez, who has won his only two starts at Progressive Field, will take the mound after Oakland split a four-game series against Tampa Bay.

The Athletics won four straight overall before dropping the final two games of their set with the Rays, including a 3-2 loss Sunday. Oakland failed to get a runner to second base until the fifth inning and finished with six hits, limited to eight or fewer for the fourth consecutive game.

The A's now begin a 10-game road trip. They've dropped six of seven away from home this month, scoring 12 runs while hitting .203 with no homers.

"Everybody's going to have their mishaps, but by no means do we feel like we're ready to roll over," Dallas Braden told the A's official website.

Unlike Oakland, the Indians (50-74) have not received stellar starting pitching lately. Their rotation is 1-12 with a 5.82 ERA over the last 16 games, during which opponents are hitting .329.

Jeanmar Gomez went three innings against Detroit on Sunday, giving up eight runs and 11 hits in an 8-1 loss as the Tigers completed a three-game sweep.

Even Fausto Carmona (11-11, 4.14), who leads the team in wins and innings, has been struggling. With a 7.07 ERA in his last five outings, the right-hander takes the mound Tuesday trying to avoid losing a fourth straight start. He tied a season high with seven runs allowed in five innings of a 9-7 loss to Kansas City on Wednesday.

Carmona has split two starts against Oakland this year, giving up four runs in 14 1-3 innings.

The Athletics have won four of six against the Indians this year, taking two of three at Progressive Field last month.