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Zito faces former team as Giants visit Athletics

May 18, 2007 - 1:53 PM San Francisco (20-20) at Oakland (20-20) 10:05 pm EDT

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Barry Zito faces his former team for the first time when the San Francisco Giants visit the Oakland Athletics on Friday.

Zito (3-4, 4.29 ERA) spent the last seven seasons with the Athletics before signing a seven-year, $126 million contract with the Giants as a free agent. The 6-4 lefthander is fourth on Oakland's career win list with 102.

A 16-game winner a year ago with the A's, Zito is coming off his worst start of the season. He allowed six runs - including three home runs - in six innings during the Giants 6-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Saturday.

Oakland starter Chad Gaudin (2-1, 2.93) also is trying to bounce back from his worst outing of the season. He allowed five runs - four earned - and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings on Sunday while not factoring in the decision against the Cleveland Indians.

The Athletics have thrived in interleague play since it began in 1997, going 103-73. Only the New York Yankees' 103-71 interleague record is better.

The Giants, who are 86-75 in interleague play, split six games against the Athletics a year ago.

San Francisco slugger Barry Bonds has not homered in seven straight games. He has 745 career home runs and is 10 shy of tying Hank Aaron's all-time mark.

Randy Winn has a 16-game hitting streak, the longest by a Giant since Ray Durham hit in 16 in a row in 2003.