Oakland (17-25) at San Francisco (20-22)
Currently: - Game info: 8:05 pm EDT Sun May 22, 2005
- TV: ESPN
Oakland left-hander Barry Zito hasn’t pitched like a No. 1 starter this season.
The Athletics are hoping that trend changes when he faces the San Francisco Giants in the deciding game of their interleague series.
Slotted to be the club’s ace following the December trades of Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder, Zito has instead continued his decline since his career season of 2002.
Zito went 23-5 with a 2.75 ERA on his way to the AL Cy Young Award that season, but hasn’t been close to being the same pitcher since, finishing 14-12 in 2003 and a disappointing 11-11 last season.
In his last start, Zito issued a career-high seven walks, to go along with three runs and three hits over five innings, but was spared the loss in Oakland’s 7-5 defeat to Boston on Tuesday. Since beating Seattle on May 1 for his only win of the season, Zito has no record and a 4.91 ERA in three starts.
The Giants, whose 3-2 win on Saturday was just their second victory in the last seven games, will also be sending a struggling left-hander to the mound on Sunday.
Noah Lowry allowed seven runs and 10 hits over just 3 2-3 innings in a 9-4 defeat at Colorado on Tuesday.
Lowry’s only win this season came in a 13-6 victory at Colorado on April 15.
The 24-year-old left-hander, who started his career 7-0 in his first 18 appearances, including 16 starts, has lost five consecutive decisions while going winless with a 6.55 ERA over his last six starts.
“This has definitely been the longest stretch of time for me without a win and, in my opinion, not pitching the way I know I’m capable of pitching,” Lowry said. “It’s a matter of trusting your stuff, not over-thinking and staying relaxed.”
Team Comparison
| Team | Record | Standings | Away/Home | Streak | L10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland | 88-74 | 2nd West | Away 43-38 | Won 2 | 4-6 |
| San Francisco | 75-87 | 3rd West | Home 37-44 | Won 1 | 4-6 |
Athletics Nation
McCovey Chronicles
