The Oakland Athletics and Chicago White Sox will close out a three-game series on Sunday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field. This will be the rubber game after Chicago evened the set with a 3-2 win on Saturday as a -190 favorite. Oakland is having a tough season at 39-64, while the White Sox are 3.0 games out of the AL Central lead at 50-50.
These teams were closley matched last year with the White Sox winning the season series 4-3.
Oakland had been playing its best baseball of a rebuilding season lately, but couldn't keep that momentum going as it was defeated by Chicago on Saturday. Sean Murphy and Seth Brown both hit solo shots wihin the first three innings to get Oakland started fast, yet that was the only scoring of the night for the Athletics as they were eventually walked off.
All-Star Paul Blackburn tossed five scoreless innings, allowing five hits and no walks while striking out four. Zach Jackson took the loss for allowing one run while getting just one out. Brown had the only multi-hit game for Oakland, while Ramon Laureano was on base twice.
The Athletics are down a huge amount on the money line for the season while going 52-51 on the run line. Overs are 42-54-7 for Oakland, with two of their last three games going under the betting total.
This offense is having a mi serable season, ranking 29th with an average of 3.45 runs per game on a .620 team OPS that is dead last. Oakland pitching has only been marginally better with a 4.29 collective ERA including a mark of 4.08 from the bullpen.
Sean Murphy is Oakland's best hitter overall with 2.7 WAR on a .739 OPS with 11 homers and 40 RBI, strong numbers for a catcher. Brown is having a strong week, bringing his overall numbers to a .720 OPS with 15 homers and 44 driven in.
Rookie Adam Oller will make his 12th apparence and seventh start, hoping to get a tough debut campaign turned around as he's 1-3 with an 8.07 ERA through 32.1 innings. The 27-year-old is coming off his first career win last Monday against the Houston Astros as he allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits and two walks while striking out four in five plus innings.
Infielder Jed Lowrie (sprained shoulder) is on the IL. Starting pitchers Bren Honeywell Jr . (stress reaction in elbow) and Daulton Jeffries (thoracic outlet syndrome) are out. Relievers Deolis Garcia (Tommy John surgery) and Dany Jimenez (strained shoulder) are also sidelined.