Game Thread #77: Athletics at Giants

Luck hasn't been on the A's side the past few seasons. From bullpen terribleness to infestations of injury bugs, for a team that has been going through its fair share of struggles the past few years, the A's are in dire need of some good fortune. It just so happens that the A's cards may finally be lining up perfectly, as the offense, which has been woefully inconsistent up to this point, has put five or more runs on the board in five consecutive games, and team leader and offensive weapon Josh Reddick is bolstering the lineup further with his return from the disabled list tonight.

Last night, in game one of the highly anticipated four game set between the A's and the Giants, Daniel Mengden continued to dazzle in his infancy as a big league pitcher with an ace-level performance in a sound 8-3 victory versus former A's workhorse Jeff Samardzija. Tonight, Kendall Graveman will be starting for the Oakland Athletics. Bouncing back and forth between good and bad starts for the first two months of the season, with the warmer weather Graveman has finally started to show the same sort of dominant pitching that the team witnessed last year when he pitched to a 2.01 ERA over eight starts in May and June of last season after an abysmal first month. Graveman would eventually be slowed by an oblique injury that would end his season, but if Graveman is able to find the same amount of control as he showed during that sensational stretch now, the A's starting rotation just got a whole lot deeper.

The Giants, trying to avoid getting swept in their home half of the four game set, are sending right-hander Albert Suarez to the mound, making just his fifth start of the year. Suarez began last season in Double-A within the Los Angeles Angels' organization, and was pitching rather well in his first exposure in Triple-A this season, with an ERA under 3.00 over five appearances, three starts. Suarez is at his best when he is limiting walks and controlling his slider, but even then typically has trouble striking batters out.

Should be an exciting game, as this is a game that comes a close to a "Must-Win" as a game in June could possibly be, with hometown pride on the line. Good luck to our beloved Oakland A's, though the team surely doesn't need it. Lineups are below.