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Pitching takes center stage in Oakland

Jun 3, 2007 - 1:10 PM Minnesota (28-26) at Oakland (27-27), 4:05 pm EDT

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Oakland Athletics beat the Minnesota Twins, 1-0, in a pitchers' duel on Saturday. Sunday's game between the teams has the potential to be similar.

Defending American League Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana (6-4, 3.21 ERA) takes the mound for Minnesota looking to improve on his perfect record at McAfee Coliseum. Oakland counters with Chad Gaudin (5-1, 2.32), who has been excellent over his last three starts, posting a 3-0 record and 0.90 ERA.

Both starters went the distance as Joe Blanton got the better of Carlos Silva in Saturday's game. Blanton allowed just three hits en route to his second career shutout. A hard-luck loser, Silva allowed just five hits.

Santana is 3-0 with a 2.65 ERA in six career appearances in Oakland, which includes two relief appearances. Santana has pitched at least five innings in 102 straight starts dating back to May 29, 2004 - the longest streak in Twins history and the fifth longest streak in the majors during the last 50 years.

The last time the lefthander failed to toss at least five frames was May 23, 2004 against the Chicago White Sox.

Minnesota's Luis Castillo has hit safely in 20 of his last 22 games and is batting .385 with 11 multiple-hit games during that stretch.

Castillo also has a 140-game errorless streak dating back to his last miscue on May 29, 2006. It is an ongoing major-league record for errorless games by a second baseman surpassing the old mark of 123-games set by Chicago Cubs' Hall-of-Famer Ryan Sandberg from June 21, 1989 to May 17, 1990.

Oakland reliever Alan Embree, who is filling in for injured closer Huston Street, has recorded a save in three of his last five appearances after collecting just eight saves over the first 729 games of his career. His 11 career saves are the fewest by a reliever with 700 or more games pitched.