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Diamondbacks, A's conclude set at Coliseum

Jul 3, 2011 - 2:42 PM (Sports Network) - The nine-game homestand for the Oakland Athletics carries on this afternoon when the team closes out a three-game interleague set against the Arizona Diamondbacks at the Coliseum.

Oakland, all alone in last place in the American League West, is seven games out of first and 10 games under .500 after bowing in a 4-2 decision on Saturday.

After playing in front of just over 12,000 in attendance on Friday night when they actually claimed a 5-4 win, the A's managed to draw in more than twice as many fans yesterday but ended up with their third loss in four tries.

D'backs starter Joe Saunders worked seven-plus solid innings en route to the win, giving up just the two runs on eight hits, walking one and fanning three. David Hernandez worked a perfect ninth to record his third save of the season.

"I just like pitching here," Saunders noted after the game. "There's something about this ballpark that kind of fits my style."

The offensive star for Arizona was Chris Young who finished up 3-for-4 with a home run and drove in all four for the visitors. Willie Bloomquist added two hits for the Diamondbacks, who had lost five of its previous six games leading up to the win. Despite splitting the last 10 games, Arizona is still just three games out of first place in the National League West.

Coming out on the losing end for the A's was starter Josh Outman who made it through six innings, permitting all four runs on seven hits.

"I enjoy every start I get up here, and hopefully I can stick for another one," Outman said after issuing three walks and posting three strikeouts in his third loss. "It's been a long time since I've lost two in a row and that's just not the type of performance I expect out of myself. I'm better than a .500 pitcher."

Scott Sizemore and Hideki Matsui were both credited with an RBI for the hosts, the former being one of four players to record two hits in the setback.

Ready to take the hill for the visiting Diamondbacks this afternoon is Ian Kennedy who has emerged as one of the surprise hurlers in the NL for the first half of the season. Kennedy, who is in his second season with Arizona and his fifth in the majors overall, is sporting an impressive 8-2 record in 2011 after putting up a 9-10 mark a year ago.

The right-hander last pitched on Monday when he gave up four runs on eight hits over eight innings of work in a 5-4 loss to Cleveland. Kennedy did manage to fan eight, giving him a total of 31 strikeouts over his last four appearances.

As for the A's, they are giving the ball to lefty Gio Gonzalez this time around. Gonzalez, who like Kennedy is facing the opposition today for the first time in his career, picked up his seventh win of the season on Tuesday as he held the Florida Marlins to just a single hit and three walks, while striking out nine through eight innings of a 1-0 decision.

Oakland, which is just 7-10 in interleague play this season, has the fewest home runs of any team in the majors entering play on Sunday, having generated a mere 43 long balls over 84 games. The A's have thrilled the hometown fans with just 20 home runs in 40 games thus far.

In contrast Arizona, which is 10-7 versus the AL, is the top home run hitting team in the NL with 94 long balls in 84 games. The Diamondbacks are also tied for third in the majors with 20 triples, providing them with the fifth-highest slugging percentage in the majors (.418).