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A's look to continue dominance of Red Sox

Jun 7, 2007 - 1:48 PM Boston (37-21) at Oakland (31-27) 3:35 pm EDT

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Oakland Athletics have managed to hold the Boston Red Sox to a total of just six runs in the first three games of their series. They'll look to hold them down one last time on Thursday at McAfee Coliseum.

The Red Sox are suffering through their longest losing streak of the season and have dropped five of their last six games.

After dropping the first three of the four-game set, Boston has lost a season-high four consecutive games and five of its last six. It is the longest losing streak for the Red Sox since a six-game stretch in August 2006.

The Red Sox have dropped seven straight contests in Oakland, which is their longest losing streak in the Coliseum since an eight-game skid from July 4, 1987 to August 31, 1988.

Boston will turn to ace Curt Schilling (5-2, 3.91 ERA) to stop the bleeding. The veteran righthander allowed four runs and nine hits in just five innings in his start Saturday against the Yankees.

In his lone start of the season against the A's, Schilling yielded two runs and eight hits in seven innings but did not factor in the decision as the Red Sox lost, 5-4, on May 1.

Oakland will counter with Joe Blanton (5-3, 3.81). The burly righthander is coming off his finest start of the season on Saturday when he surrendered just three hits in a shutout of the Minnesota Twins.

Blanton also opposed Schilling on May 1, and also did not factor in the decision.