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Athletics, Rangers start up series in Texas

May 9, 2011 - 2:34 PM (Sports Network) - The Oakland Athletics won three of four matchups the last time they faced the AL West-rival Texas Rangers a week ago by the Bay.

Oakland took the final two installments of the four-game series from April 29- May 2 and will play the first of three consecutive games at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington tonight.

The Athletics came away with a series victory over Kansas City this weekend by taking two of the three matchups between the clubs and have won seven of the past 11 games, including Sunday's 5-3 triumph in which Kurt Suzuki and Kevin Kouzmanoff both homered. Kouzmanoff's homer off of Jeff Francis brought back some memories.

"I remember when I was with San Diego and he [Francis] was with Colorado, I remember facing him quite a bit. I had some success and there were other times where he just made me feel stupid. Just like any other pitcher, I guess. Sometimes you feel good, sometimes you don't," said Kouzmanoff.

Conor Jackson had three hits and drove in a run for Oakland, which got six innings of two-run ball from starter Tyson Ross. Michael Wuertz, Grant Balfour and Brian Fuentes each threw a scoreless inning of relief, with Fuentes notching his ninth save of the season.

A's starter Trevor Cahill is one of four pitchers with a 5-0 mark and will try to stay unbeaten tonight in the Lone Star State. Angels ace Jered Weaver currently leads the majors with six wins (6-2), while Cahill aims for his fifth consecutive winning start. Cahill tossed four innings of one-run ball in a 3-1 victory versus Cleveland last Wednesday in his seventh start.

The right-hander, who lowered his earned run average from 1.88 to 1.79, is 4-0 with a 0.96 ERA in his previous four outings. Cahill owns a 2-0 mark in three road starts this season and defeated Texas on April 29 at the Coliseum with seven shutout innings to back a 3-1 win. In 10 career starts against the Rangers, Cahill is 7-2 with a 2.27 ERA.

Texas will continue a nine-game residency which began this weekend with three matchups with the New York Yankees. New York won two of the three meetings and crushed the Rangers, 12-5, in Sunday's series finale.

Rangers pitchers allowed a total of five home runs on the day and starter Dave Bush did not factor in the outcome after he allowed three runs -- two earned -- and five hits in four innings.

"Bush went out there and gave us everything he had. He just ran out of gas, but we were still in the ball game," said Texas manager Ron Washington.

Arthur Rhodes absorbed the loss for his role in the seventh inning, when he surrendered two home runs and three hits. Elvis Andrus had three hits and an RBI, while Mike Napoli knocked in a pair of runs for Texas, which has lost eight of its last 11 contests. The Rangers will also host the Angels for three games on the current homestand.

Taking the mound for Washington's club tonight will be C.J. Wilson, who was beaten by the A's the last time he faced them in a 3-1 decision on April 29. Wilson permitted three runs -- two earned -- and nine hits in seven frames, but rebounded with a complete-game effort at Seattle last Wednesday.

Wilson limited the Mariners to a pair of runs, one of which was earned, on six hits with a season-best 12 strikeouts and one walk. The lefty improved to 4-1 in seven starts this season to go along with a 2.92 earned run average. In 32 career games (3 starts) against Oakland, Wilson is 2-4 with a 4.13 ERA.

The A's have won eight of the last 13 matchups with Texas.