Comcast SportsNet, the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants have teamed up to make a $15,000 donation to the Petaluma National Little League. The West Region Champion Petaluma Nationals are preparing for the 66th Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., and the donation will assist in offsetting travel costs.
So the A's need a win. After a blistering July, the A's are experiencing an August swoon, having dropped the last two games in a row and are now 4-6 in their last 10. It goes without saying that the A's had better start winning some games to remain in either playoff hunt. They are still missing Smith and Inge, but the rest of the lineup had better start producing some baserunners; they had so very few last night.
Brandon McCarthy will look to build on his last start, having just returned from the DL. The A's need him healthy and effective down the stretch. He will be facing off against Will Smith. Yes, Will Smith. No, not that Will Smith; a rookie pitcher for the Royals. Great, the A's always hit really well against newbies.
Here are your lineups (they are Weeks-less and Reddick-less; as Reddick had a tooth extraction earlier and was scratched, so basically the whole bench is now playing):
LET'S GO OAK-LAND!
