Tampa Bay 47-68) at Oakland (62-52) 10:05 pm EDT
OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Tampa Bay Devil Rays will
get their ace back on Friday.
Lefthander Scott Kazmir will make his first start following a
stint on the 15-day disabled list when the Devil Rays play the
opener of a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics.
In his final start before landing on the DL with shoulder
inflammation, the 22-year-old Kazmir (10-7, 3.36 ERA) allowed
two runs and seven hits in seven innings of an eventual 4-2 loss
to Baltimore on July 23. He reached double digits in
strikeouts (10) for the fourth time this season, throwing 71 of
104 pitches for strikes.
Kazmir has not won in three starts since throwing 120 pitches in
a two-hit shutout against Boston on July 3. He also recorded
10 strikeouts in that game and ranks second in the American
League with a ratio of 9.72 strikeouts per nine innings.
In his last start here on May 5, Kazmir allowed one run and nine
hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 3-1 win. He has gone 2-0 with a
3.32 ERA in four career starts against the A's.
Oakland will counter with Dan Haren (9-9, 3.67), who has posted
a 1.57 ERA in winning his last three starts. He had a 8.47 ERA
in losing his previous three outings.
Haren is 1-1 with a 1.69 ERA in two lifetime starts against
Tampa Bay. The only previous time Haren faced the Devil Rays
here was May 31, 2005, when he pitched a five-hitter in a 10-1
victory to begin a personal nine-game winning streak.
The A's had a six-game winning streak snapped with a 14-0 loss
to Texas on Wednesday. Despite the setback, Oakland holds a 3
1/2-game over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the AL West.