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A's pin hopes on Cahill in finale against Tigers

Apr 17, 2011 - 2:28 PM (Sports Network) - Trevor Cahill will attempt to pitch the Oakland Athletics to a split in the finale of their four-game series with the Detroit Tigers this afternoon at the Coliseum.

Cahill will also try to continue a terrific string of starting pitching in this series for Oakland. Gio Gonzalez and Brandon McCarthy fired 12 2/3 scoreless innings in the first two games - both Oakland losses - and Dallas Braden allowed just an unearned run in five innings of the A's 6-2 win on Saturday.

Braden (1-1), though, was forced to leave the game with stiffness in his throwing shoulder. Unlike the first two games of the series the A's bullpen stepped up and combined to allow one run on three hits and four walks over the final four frames.

"He [just] has stiffness in his left shoulder and was removed from the game for that reason," Oakland manager Bob Geren said. "Don't really have any more information, at this point. I'm sure he'll be checked out. I don't have an exact time or date for that, but I'm sure he'll be checked out."

After managing two runs or less in six of its first 10 games, Oakland has crossed the plate four or more times in four of the last five games. The A's scored three times in the fourth inning Saturday to propel them to the win.

Justin Verlander (1-2) surrendered four runs -- three earned -- on eight hits in six innings to take the loss, Detroit's first in five games.

"They jumped on a couple pitches they could hit," Verlander said of the pivotal frame. "It was a tough inning."

Cahill, meanwhile, is coming off a poor outing his last time out. The Chicago White Sox battered the young right-hander for four runs and six hits in just 4 2/3 innings on Tuesday. Cahill also walked three batters, but was spared the decision in his team's 6-5 loss.

I've just got to work on throwing strikes," Cahill said. "I felt like I had a good command of the ball [against Toronto in my first start], but I don't know. That's just one start. I need to figure out how to be consistent, even when I'm not feeling good."

Cahill has faced the Tigers three times and is 1-1 with a 5.74 ERA against them.

Detroit will counter with veteran right-hander Brad Penny, who has gotten better in each of his three starts. Penny was pounded for eight runs in losing to the Yankees back on April 2, but has surrendered four and three runs, respectively, in his last two trips to the hill. His best outing came on Tuesday against a tough Texas lineup that managed just three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Still, though, he is pitching to an 8.27 ERA on the year.

Penny has split his two starts against the A's, surrendering eight runs in 12 innings of those outings.

Detroit split its six meetings with the A's last season.