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Two of the major league's most successful pitchers over the past month look to continue their unbeaten runs when the
Oakland Athletics
visit the
San Diego Padres
on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series at Petco Park.
Barry Zito
has won his last six decisions for surging Oakland (41-34), while
Chris Young
hasn't suffered a loss in his last five outings for San Diego (39-36).
Zito (8-3, 3.36 ERA) had won five starts in a row heading into Wednesday's game at Colorado, and he allowed only one earned
run over seven innings in the A's 3-2 victory in 11 innings.
''Barry had shutout stuff,'' Oakland manager
Ken Macha
said.
The left-hander hasn't lost since May 12, going 6-0 with a 3.04 ERA in eight starts. Zito has struck out 48 and walked 26
in 56 1-3 innings over that span.
Zito has been a big reason why Oakland has moved into first place in the AL West. Oakland has won 13 of its last 16 to take
a 1 1/2-game lead over Texas in the division.
The A's took two of three from San Francisco over the weekend, including a 10-4 victory on Sunday after they blew a two-run
lead in the ninth inning of an 8-7 loss on Saturday.
''It was big,'' said shortstop
Bobby Crosby
, who had two RBIs and scored twice Sunday. ''(Saturday's) game was tough. It shows the character of this team to bounce back.''
Young (6-3, 3.16 ERA), acquired from the Rangers before the season, is 3-0 with a 1.10 ERA in five starts since losing 10-6
to Atlanta on May 24. The right-hander has allowed just 15 hits and 11 walks while striking out 36 over his last 32 2-3 innings.
He threw a season-high 127 pitches while lasting 5 2-3 innings at Texas last Wednesday, allowing one earned run in San Diego's
3-2 victory.
''I had nine full counts but I walked two batters, so that was good,'' said Young, who hasn't received a decision in his last
two starts despite giving up a combined three earned runs. ''The pitch count was the result of the foul balls they hit.''
San Diego has lost three of its last four games, including the final two in its series with Seattle over the weekend.
Mike Cameron
homered for the third straight game in Sunday's 9-4 loss.
Cameron, though, is just 6-for-27 (.222) with six strikeouts against Zito. Padres reserve outfielder
Eric Young
is batting .417 (5-for-12) with a homer, four RBIs and four walks against Zito.
Crosby and
Eric Chavez
are a combined 7-for-14, while
Mark Kotsay
is hitless in nine at-bats against Young.
The A's are 11-5 against the Padres, but the teams haven't met since 2001.
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