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Struggling Athletics look for rare consecutive wins

Aug 16, 2008 - 10:09 AM Chi White Sox (68-53) at Oakland (56-65) 3:55 p.m. EDT

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Oakland Athletics will be looking for back-to-back wins for the first time in over a month when they host the Chicago White Sox on Saturday.

The A's picked up a 6-4 win on Friday when pinch hitter Kurt Suzuki drove a walk-off, two-run homer into the stands. It marked the second time in as many games that Oakland had scored six runs after failing to top four in the previous 15 contests.

The A's 5-28 record in the last 33 games is the worst such streak in franchise history.

Hitting has been at the root of the problem, as Oakland ranks last in the American league in batting (.243) and slugging (.365) and second to last in on-base percentage (.317). But the pitching has also faltered since the All-Star break, with the starters posting a 3-14 record with a 5.97 ERA.

Rookie Greg Smith (5-11, 3.92 ERA) will try to reverse that trend when he takes the mound. The lefthander has not earned a win since June 30, going 0-5 with a 5.17 ERA.

Smith pitched at Chicago on July 5, allowing four runs and walking six in five innings to suffer a loss.

The White Sox, who are locked in a first-place tie with the Minnesota Twins (68-53) atop the American League Central, will counter with lefthander John Danks. The 23-year-old took a no-hitter into the seventh inning Monday at Boston, but ended up suffering the loss in a 2-1 Red Sox victory.