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A's turn to Gonzalez against Giants

May 22, 2011 - 2:46 PM (Sports Network) - Gio Gonzalez will look to help Oakland avoid the sweep when the southpaw takes the hill for the Athletics in the finale of a three-game set against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.

The Athletics have dropped four consecutive matchups, but Gonzalez takes the hill riding a personal three-game winning streak. The A's possess one of the top rotations in the majors and Gonzalez is a big reason for the team's success, as the southpaw currently owns a 2.31 earned run average.

The last time the 25-year-old was on the bump he tossed seven scoreless innings in a 14-0 win over Anaheim. Gonzalez surrendered just one hit and one walk, while striking out seven batters.

If the young hurler is going to continue his winning ways he must get past the Giants, who have been a tough team for him. In three starts against San Francisco the hard-throwing lefty is just 1-2 with a 4.24 earned run average.

The Giants will turn to Jonathan Sanchez, who has dropped two of his last three starts. The last time Sanchez was in action the southpaw allowed four runs -- three earned -- in seven innings against Colorado.

Sanchez is a bit erratic, but surprisingly he did not walk a batter in the loss.

The veteran hurler has plenty of history against the team from across the bay, as this will be the ninth appearance for Sanchez against the A's, but only his fourth start. In his career against Oakland, the southpaw is just 1-2, but has a respectable 3.16 earned run average.

On Saturday, Tim Lincecum sparkled in his fifth career shutout to lead San Francisco to a 3-0 victory over Oakland.

It was the eighth career complete game for Lincecum (4-4), who did not walk a batter and allowed just three hits with six strikeouts. After allowing a single to Ryan Sweeney in the first inning, he retired 21 straight batters before Landon Powell singled in the eighth.

Buster Posey, Cody Ross and Miguel Tejada each knocked in a run for the Giants, who earned their fourth consecutive win.

Brett Anderson (2-4) took the loss, allowing one run on five hits and a walk while striking out five through five innings.

The Giants have won eight in a row at home against Oakland and have won 12 of the past 16 meetings in this series. The Athletics hold a 42-40 advantage in the all-time series with San Francisco, but are only 15-20 at AT&T Park.