OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics will attempt to continue their climb up the standings when they open a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.
Two 30-something left-handers -- Oakland's Brett Anderson (2-3, 5.55 ERA) and Detroit's Blaine Hardy (4-3, 3.61) -- will get the series rolling.
The A's enter the series having won 30 of their last 40 games, which has allowed them to rally from fourth place in the American League West, 11 games behind second-place Seattle, into a virtual tie with the Mariners for the second AL wild-card spot at the end of play Wednesday.