Game #44: A’s at Dodgers Game Thread

Looking to win the series down in LA

Final game down in Los Angeles tonight as the Athletics wrap up their series with the Dodgers. They’ve split the first two games so tonight is the rubber match. If the A’s can win a series against the best team in baseball it’d be a huge benchmark for the up-and-coming young team. They sit in fourth place in the AL West at 22-21 but are within 1.5 games of the first-place Mariners. It’s close early in the race and every game matters.

They’ll hope that right-hander Osvaldo Bido can help get them there. After a great start to the season the 29-year-old has slowed down significantly. After allowing just six runs in his first four starts he’s now allowed 16 in his previous four outings. That’s shot his ERA from a season-low 2.61 all the way to the 4.75 ERA he brings into tonight’s start. The Athletics will be hoping that Bido can rediscover his early-season form but he’s going to have to do it against a lethal Dodgers lineup that seems to be clicking on all cylinders right now.

Behind him his teammates will line up like this:

Center fielder JJ Bleday will get the night off after playing in all but two games this season. Taking his place in center will be another left-handed hitter in Seth Brown. He’s hitting just .220 with one home run on the season but he’s begun heating up at the plate. Even so putting him in the #3 hole is a curious decision from Mark Kotsay. Second baseman Luis Urias will also get the night off with Max Schuemann taking his place at the keystone, as will Miguel Andujar, who will slide to the bench to make room at the hot corner for Gio Urshela.

The Dodgers will counter Bido with righty Matt Sauer, a rookie who will be making his first career start in the major leagues. A starter coming up through the minors, he’s made 18 total relief appearances for Los Angeles over the past two years with a 5.14 ERA in 18 innings pitched. Though he’s a reliever he can provide length as evidenced by him pitching five innings for the Dodgers earlier this year. Let’s hope the A’s can knock him out quickly and get to work on the Los Angeles ‘pen early in the finale.

The Dodger lineup for the final game of the series:

The A’s will be the first team that Dodgers top prospect Dalton Rushing plays against. Baseball’s 15th top-rated prospect will be behind the plate tonight to make his major league debut. He’s been crushing the ball at Triple-A so Bido and the rest of the starters should tread lightly when pitching to the unfamiliar prospect. The rest of their lineup looks the same, which is dangerous.

Let’s go A’s! Time to get out of LA with a series win!