The A's and Barry Zito with a 9-6 record and a 3.30 ERA take on the Orioles and Mr. Anna Benson with a 9-8 record and a 4.59 ERA.
The A's look to make themselves 5-2 through their first seven games on this road trip. They win today and they would guarantee themselves a .500 road trip, which is important with Verlander and Robertson awaiting the A's in Detroit.
Ken Macha sends out this lineup to face Benson:
Ellis
Kotsay
Bradley
Chavez
Thomas
Kielty
Payton
Crosby
Melhuse
Most of the A's haven't faced Benson beyond a game or two. The guys who've spent some time in the NL have, with Kotsay, Payton and Bradley topping their plate appearances against Benson. Of the three, Bradley has the best track record with an 1.127 OPS against him. I still don't understand not moving Eric Chavez down in the lineup while he's struggling, but we went through the same thing at the beginning of the season last year and Macha also stubbornly refused to move him then.
The Orioles send out this lineup to face Z:
Terrero
Mora
Tejada
Conine
Millar
Hernandez
Patterson
Gomez
Markakis
The Orioles roster has a .190 average against Zito and a .290 OBP, so hopefully those stats hold true today. It'd be nice to get Zito that 10th win.
LET'S GO A'S!!!!!
