The Oakland Athletics send out Gio Gonzalez Sunday afternoon as they wrap up their four-game series with the Los Angeles Angels on MC Hammer Bobblehead Day. The A’s have split four-game sets this season, but a victory on Sunday would secure their first four-game series victory of the year.
If anybody can grab the victory on Sunday it’s Gio Gonzalez who is 13-3 with a 2.18 ERA in his last 23 home starts. Gonzalez has been the team’s most consistent starter this season and will look to get his ninth win as he faces Joel Pineiro.
The A’s will go with the same lineup they’ve moved to lately with Josh Willingham hitting third and Hideki Matsui hitting fourth. Jemile Weeks continues his run at the top of the batting where he is really starting to settle in nicely. He struggled early on as the leadoff hitter but he has been hitting the ball well over the last week. Over the last five games, Weeks is 9-for-22 with three stolen bases and is providing the necessary disruption a team wants from a leadoff hitter.
Oakland Athletics
1. Jemile Weeks 2B
2. Coco Crisp CF
3. Josh Willingham DH
4. Hideki Matsui LF
5. Scott Sizemore 3B
6. David DeJesus RF
7. Conor Jackson 1B
8. Kurt Suzuki C
9. Cliff Pennington SS
Los Angeles Angels
1. Maicer Izturis 2B
2. Erick Aybar SS
3. Torii Hunter DH
4. Vernon Wells RF
5. Howard Kendrick LF
6. Alberto Callaspo 3B
7. Mark Trumbo 1B
8. Bobby Wilson C
9. Mike Trout CF