Game Thread #79: Bay Bridge Series Finale

The 2016 Oakland A's season has been one of streaks, with both heart wrenching losing streaks and optimism-inducing winning stretches. On balance, the losses have out-numbered the wins, with the record entering tonight at 35-43, or 8 games below the critical .500 mark. However, the A's enter tonight's game in a streak of the hotter variety, as they have won 3 straight in the annual Bay Bridge Series, which followed the Green and Gold taking 3 of 4 vs. the rival Angels over the weekend, for a winning stretch of 6 of the last 7.

Tonight, the A's host the cross bay rivals for the final game of the series and hope to close the door on a series that has never had a regular season sweep in its 20 year history (although the A's did have one very notable sweep in 1989).

On the hill for the A's is the 3rd rookie starter of the series, Dillon Overton. The bearded one looks to follow in the footsteps of Daniel Mengden and Sean Manaea, the two other rookies on staff, who both collected wins in their outings vs. the orange and black. Opposing Overton, is SF ace Madison Bumgarner, who also will be batting, which represents the first time a team has forgone the DH willfully to start an AL game in 40 years, since the 1976 White Sox.

The A's lineup hopes to continue its very hot stretch but will be without key cogs Khris Davis (shoulder soreness), Josh Reddick (rest) and Stephen Vogt (rest). The pen will not feature former All Star reliever Sean Doolittle, who was placed on the DL today with shoulder soreness, and will be getting an MRI. The A's look to overcome these elements and rally for a 7th win in 8 and a very impressive 4 game sweep in the Bay Bridge Series. Here are tonight's lineups, Go A's!