Skip to content

Oakland Athletics (14-29) at Tampa Bay Rays (23-19), 7:10 p.m. (ET)

(SportsNetwork.com) - Scott Kazmir eyes his first win in more than a month on Friday when the Oakland Athletics resume a four-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

Kazmir lost to Chicago on Sunday and was hit for five runs (3 earned) and seven hits with three walks over 4 1/3 innings, as he fell to 2-2 on the year to go along with a 3.08 ERA.

"Just got to put my team in a better position," Kazmir said. "I didn't get it done. So many pitches in the first couple innings, the bunt that I didn't make -- it's tough."

Kazmir still boasts a 1.17 WHIP and 49/17 K/BB ratio over 49 2/3 innings, but hasn't won since beating Houston in his second start of the season back on April 13.

In three starts against the Rays, the team he pitched the first five years of his career with, Kazmir is 1-2 with a 4.11 ERA.

Tampa will counter with right-hander Chris Archer, who is 4-4 with a 2.47 ERA. Archer beat the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, as he limited them to a run and four hits over six innings for his first win in four starts.

"Archer is nasty," Twins infielder Brian Dozier said. "Faced him numerous times and that was the best I've ever seen him."

Tampa added to Oakland's woes in Thursday's opener, as David DeJesus hit a solo homer and an RBI double to lead the Rays to a 3-0 win.

Alex Colome (3-1) ended a two-start winless streak after throwing four shutout innings. The right-hander allowed just four hits and a walk as the Rays won for the third time in their last four games.

The A's, who are an MLB-worst 14-29, lost for the 13th time in their last 15 games.

"We just need to relax," A's catcher Stephen Vogt said. "This is a really good team that's going through a really rough patch right now."

Jesse Chavez (1-4) surrendered three runs on five hits and a walk in six-plus innings, falling to 1-4 in six outings since moving from the bullpen to the starting rotation.

Oakland won four of six games versus the Rays last season.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox