• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

A's try to stretch win streak against BoSox

Sep 1, 2012 - 1:57 PM (Sports Network) - The Oakland Athletics eye an eighth straight win on Saturday when they continue a three-game series with the Boston Red Sox at the Coliseum.

Oakland's latest victory was its most impressive, as George Kottaras smashed a pair of home runs and finished with five RBI on Friday to power the Athletics past the Red Sox, 20-2.

Brandon Moss went 4-for-5 with a two-run homer and four RBI, Josh Reddick blasted a grand slam, and Josh Donaldson also clobbered a two-run home run to help Oakland win for the 13th time in their last 15 tries.

Another victory would give them eight straight for the first time since a 10- game run in June 2006, during the last season they made the playoffs. The A's currently hold the top spot in the AL wild card race.

"It's fun, everybody's running to the bat rack ready to bat," said Reddick. "You can't wait to get in the batter's box."

Brandon McCarthy (8-5) earned his second consecutive win with 6 1/3 solid innings on the mound. He allowed two runs on eight hits and no walks with one strikeout.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia clubbed a solo homer and Mauro Gonzalez added an RBI for the sliding Red Sox, who have lost four in a row and nine of their last 12 games.

Boston has also lost six straight to the A's.

Aaron Cook (3-8) started for the Red Sox, but lasted just 2 2/3 innings as he was hammered for six runs on seven hits.

Heading to the hill for the A's on Saturday will be the returning A.J. Griffin, who has been sidelined with a strained right shoulder. Griffin, though, was 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA before leaving his last start on Aug. 4.

He faced the Red Sox back on July 4 and allowed two runs and four hits in six innings of that one.

Boston, meanwhile, will hand the ball to lefty Felix Doubront, who is 10-6 with a 4.79 ERA. Doubront did not get a decision on Sunday against Kansas City, as he allowed four runs and six hits in five innings of an 8-6 win.

Doubront lost to Oakland back on May 1 in his only other start against them and surrendered five runs and six hits in four innings.

The A's have won six of seven matchups with Boston this season. The Red Sox were 6-2 in the season series a year ago.