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Hot-hitting A's seek first four-game home sweep of Rays

Jul 28, 2011 - 2:49 PM (Sports Network) - The Oakland Athletics take aim at their first-ever four- game home sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays this afternoon when the two teams wrap up their set at the Coliseum.

The A's offensive surge continued on Wednesday, as Hideki Matsui's three-run homer highlighted a nine-run fourth inning in a 13-4 rout.

Matsui, who had three hits and drove in five runs, is batting .444 (20-for-45) with 17 RBI since the Mid-summer Classic. As a team, Oakland is hitting a major league best .321 since the break and has won eight of its last 12.

"It's about believing in starting over in the second half and putting the first half behind you," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "All it takes is really a couple of games. We kept preaching as a staff we're a good offensive team, no matter what the numbers looked like in the first half."

Oakland had managed just 43 runs in the 18 games before the break.

Trevor Cahill (9-9) was Wednesday's beneficiary of the outburst and allowed four hits and fanned six over 7 1/3 innings to snap a four-game losing streak. It was a much different outcome than his last start, when he allowed 10 runs in a 17-7 loss to the Yankees.

James Shields (9-9) was tagged for 12 hits and 10 runs over four innings for the Rays, who lost for the fifth time in six games. Matt Joyce hit a two-run homer for Tampa Bay.

Today the A's hand the ball to righty Rich Harden, who beat the Yankees his last time out. Harden allowed two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings of that one, as he improved to 2-1 to go along with a 4.63 ERA.

Harden is 3-2 in six starts against the Rays and has pitched to a 5.01 ERA in that time.

Tampa Bay, meanwhile, will counter with righty Wade Davis, who is 7-7 with a 4.46 ERA. Davis lost his second consecutive decision on Friday in Kansas City, as he the Royals reached him for six runs (five earned) and 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings.

"Just the shadows, the way the game was going," Davis said. "It was one of those quicksand games, where the harder you try, the worse it got. I felt good. Physically, everything was good. And the slider was great. That's something I can definitely carry into this game."

He is 1-1 lifetime versus the A's with a 6.30 ERA in two starts.

On the injury front for Tampa outfielder B.J. Upton's status is not known for today's finale. He sat out on Wednesday, leaving some to speculate that a deal may be near. However, Upton, who has been the subject of numerous trade rumors, is nursing a quadriceps injury and is day-to-day.

The Rays took five of nine from the A's last season, but have dropped nine of their last 13 in Oakland.