Final
A's make a rare return to Philadelphia
Jun 24, 2011 - 2:56 PMVideo
The A's entered the baseball world in 1901 as the Philadelphia Athletics, and led by manager Connie Mack, remained in the city until moving to Kansas City in 1955. The franchise hung around in the Midwest until relocating for the last time to Oakland prior to the 1968 season.
Former neighbors, the Phillies and Athletics have met three times in interleague play, with Oakland holding a slight 5-4. Philadelphia took two of three in the only meeting between the club's in Philadelphia back in 2003, the last season of Veterans Stadium. Oakland gets its first look at Philly's new park tonight.
Oakland will try to avoid a third straight loss and get its offense going in the hitter-friendly park. After taking the opener of a set with the Mets on Tuesday, the A's scored just three runs in dropping the final two. That includes a 4-1 setback on Thursday in which Coco Crisp drove in the lone run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning.
Without the designated hitter, the A's were forced to rest Hideki Matsui and also placed outfielder Josh Willingham on the disabled list prior to the contest because of a strained left Achilles. Willingham leads Oakland with 10 homers and 42 RBI.
"We've had some offensive deficiencies," Athletics manager Bob Melvin said. "We have to string hits together. We have to battle, we have to work deep counts, we have to get on base, because we're not the type of team that's going to strike quick."
Oakland had won a season-best six straight games before this slide and turn tonight to Guillermo Moscoso, who hasn't won since May 29 and has lost his last three decisions.
Moscoso did not factor into an interleague start versus the Giants last Saturday, giving up a pair of unearned runs on three hits and three walks over 4 2/3 innings. The 27-year-old righty is 2-3 with a 3.30 earned run average in seven games (five starts) this season and faces the Phillies for the first time.
Philadelphia will also be looking to rebound from a tough loss as it failed to secure a three-game sweep of St. Louis thanks to a 12-2 pounding last night. Starter Roy Oswalt lasted just two innings due to lower back tightness and exited with his club down 4-0.
"It's been bothering me for a little while," Oswalt said. "My last start in Seattle, a couple of pitches bit me pretty good and tonight I couldn't really get started too good."
Oswalt's injury is the latest to the Phils' collection of arms after reliever Jose Contreras landed on the disabled list before the game due to a right forearm strain.
Carlos Ruiz homered in the ninth inning and Ryan Howard also drove in a run for Philadelphia, which has split six games since winning seven in a row.
Vance Worley gets another shot in the Phillies rotation tonight after a solid spot start last Saturday in Seattle. The right-hander did not factor into the decision of a 5-1 win, but did allow just one run on five hits and two walks over five innings of work. It was his first appearance in the majors since May 29 after getting recalled from the minors the previous day.
Worley, 23, is 2-1 with a 3.41 ERA in seven games (five starts) this year and will make his first ever appearance against the A's.
- OAKLAND: 0
PHILADELPHIA: 1
Final
Jun 24 9:58 PM - OAKLAND: 0
PHILADELPHIA: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Jun 24 7:09 PM
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