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Orioles send hot-handed Bedard against Athletics

Jul 20, 2007 - 3:31 PM Baltimore (42-52) at Oakland (45-50) 10:05 pm EDT

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Baltimore Orioles starter Erik Bedard looks to extend his scoreless innings streak when the team visits the Oakland Athletics on Friday.

Bedard (8-4, 3.22 ERA) has not allowed a run in 16 consecutive innings spanning his last two starts. He earned his first shutout on July 7 in a 3-0 win against the Texas Rangers.

The lefthander followed up that effort by holding the Chicago White Sox scoreless through seven innings during a 2-0 win Friday.

Bedard, who is 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA in his last five starts and leads the majors in strikeouts with 156, did miss a scheduled start against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday due to a stiff neck.

The Athletics counter with Joe Blanton (8-6, 3.36), who looks to get back on track after losing his last two starts. The 250-pound righthander has given up nine runs in 13 2/3 innings during those games.

Oakland ended a nine-game winning streak with a 6-0 victory over Texas on Wednesday. It marked just the second time in the last 13 games that Oakland has scored more than three runs.