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A's look to reduce magic number to two

Sep 22, 2006 - 1:03 PM LA Angels (82-70) at Oakland (89-63) 10:05 pm EDT

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) - Separated by seven games in the American League West Division, the Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim face each other seven times before the regular season ends on October 1. The first of those meetings comes Friday, when the A's host the opener of a three-game series.

Oakland posted a 7-4 victory against Cleveland Thursday, winning for the seventh time in eight games and lowering its magic number for a fourth AL West title this decade to four. The A's have gone a major league-best 44-20 since the All-Star break.

Beginning a showdown with its only competition having a mathematical chance at the division title, Oakland gives the ball to ace Barry Zito (16-9, 3.91 ERA). The A's have managed just one run in Zito's two starts against the Angels this season, but the lefthander managed to win one of those games, 1-0, on May 1.

Zito is seeking the third 17-win season of his career and first since going 23-5 en route to AL Cy Young Award honors in 2002. In 26 lifetime starts against Anaheim, Zito has a mark of 12-8 with a 3.62 ERA.

The Angels counter with phenom Jered Weaver (11-2, 2.15), who has allowed two runs or fewer in 12 of 17 major league starts. The rookie righthander allowed just one hit in seven scoreless innings of an eventual 2-1 win at Texas in his last outing on September 15.

Weaver surrendered only two hits in seven scoreless innings of a 6-4 win here July 8. That triumph came amid a career-opening nine-game winning streak for Weaver, who has gone 17-3 with a 2.13 ERA in 29 outings this year between the majors and Class AAA Salt Lake.

The A's and Angels, who have combined to win the division title every year since Seattle claimed it in 2001, have split the first 12 meetings this season.