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Athletics seek another win over Rays

Jul 26, 2011 - 2:36 PM (Sports Network) - The Oakland Athletics try to string back-to-back wins together this evening when they continue their four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays at the Coliseum.

Oakland drew first blood in this series on Monday, as Conor Jackson hit the go-ahead two-run double in the seventh inning, boosting the A's to a 7-5 win. Coco Crisp added an insurance RBI double in the eighth for Oakland, which bounced back from losing two of three games to the Yankees over the weekend.

Guillermo Moscoso gave up eight hits and five runs over five-plus innings before the A's came to the rescue by rallying from a 5-2 deficit. Michael Wuertz, Brian Fuentes (2-8), Grant Balfour and Andrew Bailey combined to shut down the Rays the rest of the way. Bailey escaped a jam in the ninth to get his 12th save.

Cliff Pennington smacked a two-run homer in the second inning for the A's.

"It can be contagious when you're not swinging well and it can be contagious when you're swinging well," A's interim manager Bob Melvin said. "If you get one or two guys going, sometimes guys follow suit."

Ben Zobrist and Kelly Shoppach homered for the Rays, who lost for the seventh time in 10 contests.

Jeremy Hellickson was charged with four hits and three runs in the start for Tampa Bay. J.P. Howell (2-2) suffered the loss.

Getting the call for the Rays tonight will be lefty David Price, who has lost two of his last three decisions. Price absorbed the loss on Wednesday against the Yankees, as he surrendered two runs and six hits in 7 1/3 frames to fall to 9-8 on the year to go along with a 3.67 ERA.

Price has faced the A's twice and is 1-0 with a 2.63 ERA.

The Rays will tie a major league record tonight when they start a pitcher under the age of 30 for the 704th consecutive game. The 1913-1917 Washington Senators, led by Hall of Famer Walter Johnson, set the record.

"I think it's awesome," said Price. "It's pretty special and good to be a part of something like that."

Oakland, meanwhile, will hand the ball to righty Brandon McCarthy, who is 2-5 with a 3.74 ERA. McCarthy did not get a decision on Wednesday in Detroit, as he allowed four runs and six hits in five innings of his team's 7-5 win.

McCarthy is 1-2 in seven games (six starts) against the Rays with a 4.18 ERA.

The Rays took five of nine from the A's last season, but have dropped seven of their last 11 in Oakland.