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It's been about 15 hours since the A's walked off versus the elite Glen Perkins, and I'm still kinda buzzing. The A's need to keep that magic going for the second half if they want any shot of getting back in this thing, and taking a series against a team that is currently 9 games above .500 is as good a statement as any.
But, unfortunately, they're going to have to contend with the curse of the former A's. Tommy Milone (5-1, 2.84) gets the start for the Twins, and we all know how threatening Milone at the Coliseum can be. Not to mention the A's weakness against soft-tossing lefties. Milone's peripherals don't really inspire confidence in his hot streak, though – a 4.26 FIP and 4.36 xFIP are exactly in line with what he's done over his career.
Meanwhile, Jesse Chavez (4-9, 3.40) is looking to get back on track after a miserable series of starts. Since putting up a 2.55 and 1.93 ERA in April and May, respectively, he's put up a 5.26 ERA in his last 41 innings.
Here are the lineups:
