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Oakland hopes to break the brooms out on hapless Indians

Aug 30, 2012 - 1:16 PM (Sports Network) - The Oakland Athletics seek a sixth straight overall win and a four-game sweep of the Cleveland Indians on Thursday in the finale of a set from Progressive Field.

After losing their first two games this season to Cleveland, the A's have rattled off seven straight wins versus the Tribe. That was again the case on Wednesday, as Josh Donaldson smacked a three-run homer in Oakland's 8-4 win.

Yoenis Cespedes went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored while Josh Reddick added three hits, an RBI and a run scored for the Athletics, who took over sole possession of the AL's top wild-card spot for the first time since Aug. 9.

The A's are also just two wins away from last year's total.

Travis Blackley (5-3) gave up two runs on three hits with a pair of walks and five strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings.

Jason Donald had two hits, including a solo home run for the Indians, who have dropped 13 of their last 14 games. Corey Kluber (0-3) gave up four runs -- three earned -- on eight hits in six innings to remain winless in his career.

"It's a matter of comfort and getting my feet wet a little bit," said Kluber. "I need to get more work on getting my game plan with the catcher together and locking some of the basics down."

Getting the call for the A's in the finale will be impressive righty Jarrod Parker, who is 8-7 with a 3.52 ERA. Parker did not get a decision on Friday against Tampa Bay, as he allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings of a 5-4 win.

Parker tossed eight scoreless innings to beat the Indians earlier in the year in his only other start against them.

Cleveland will counter with righty Justin Masterson, who has won three of his last four starts. Masterson beat the New York Yankees on Saturday, holding them to a run and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings to run his record to 10-11, while lowering his ERA to 4.60.

Masterson was on the wrong end of Parker's gem two starts ago and is just 1-4 lifetime versus the A's with a 6.89 ERA in nine games (5 starts).

Oakland's streak against Cleveland is its best since posting eight straight wins in the series in 1998. A win on Thursday, though, would give the A's their first four-game road sweep of the Tribe since turning the trick from Aug. 19-22, 2002.