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Athletics seek to extend four-game winning streak

Apr 21, 2007 - 3:04 PM Oakland (9-7) at Texas (6-10) 8:05 pm EDT

ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- The Oakland Athletics seek to extend their four-game winning streak when they face the Texas Rangers on Saturday.

Oakland has the lowest staff ERA in the American League (2.77) but had scored just 12 runs in the first three games of its winning streak before erupting for a 16-4 win on Friday. The three home runs and five doubles were season highs and the 16 runs were the most the team has scored since August 6, 2005.

Athletics rookie Travis Buck hit his first career home run and drove in a season-high five runs. Shannon Stewart had four RBI and Bobby Crosby went 3-for-4 with two RBI.

Joe Kennedy (0-1, 3.75 ERA), who allowed just three runs in his first two starts, spanning 11 innings, gets the starting nod for the first time in 10 days following a relief appearance last Sunday against the New York Yankees. The lefthander allowed three runs and two hits in one inning in Oakland's 5-4 win.

Kennedy is 1-3 with a 5.28 ERA and one save in 13 games, including three starts, in his career against Texas.

Kameron Loe (0-0, 5.40), who has allowed at least one run in three of his five relief appearances, makes his first start of the season for the Rangers. In his last outing, Loe gave up four runs - two earned - and five hits over three innings in a 14-6 loss to Seattle last Sunday.

The righthander is 0-4 with a 5.02 ERA in seven career games against Oakland.

Texas' 5.72 ERA is the second-highest in the majors. The Rangers issued a season-high 12 walks in the series opener after allowing 10 in Thursday's 6-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox.

Friday's loss was the third straight and fifth in six games for the Rangers.