Luis Medina, A’s look to get back on track against Red Sox

The Oakland Athletics will try to put an end to an eight-game losing streak Tuesday when they continue a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox. The A’s managed just one hit while dropping the opener Monday, 7-0. Luis Medina is Oakland’s scheduled starter for Tuesday while the Red Sox will go with another bullpen game.

The bullpen game wasn’t a problem for Boston Monday as Nick Pivetta followed opener Brennan Bernadino and tossed six scoreless innings while recording 13 strikeouts. Oakland may use a similar strategy Tuesday with Medina, who has followed an opener in two of his last four appearances.

It has been an up and down season for Medina who enters Tuesday’s start with a 6.34 ERA and a 5.40 FIP in 59 2/3 innings. He pitched better in his final start before the break allowing seven hits and four runs over six innings against Boston. While those numbers might not seem to great, he struck out nine and issued just one walk. That followed a two start stretch where he had walked 12 in just 10 innings.

After playing well offensively over the weekend, the A’s bats ran into a buzzsaw in Pivetta Monday. Ryan Noda accounted for Oakland’s only hit and the A’s finished with just five base runners in the game. Tyler Soderstrom and Zack Gelof were a combined 0-for-6 with a walk and accounted for five of Oakland’s 18 strikeouts in the game.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Tuesday, July 18, 6:40 p.m. PDT

Location: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, California

TV: NBCSCA

Streaming: MLB.tv

Radio: A’s Cast, Bloomberg 960 AM / 103.7 HD2, KIQI 1010