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 Tuesday, September 25 Fenway Park | 4:05 PM PT
OAK Chad Gaudin, RHP (11-12, 4.52)
Athletics (75-83) 		  @   BOS Curt Schilling, RHP (8-8, 3.97)
Red Sox (93-64)

Scouting Report:
A's: Gaudin will make his 33rd start of the season when he faces the Red Sox at Fenway Park. It?s been a tale of two seasons for the right-hander. Gaudin was 8-3 with a 2.88 ERA in 18 starts before the All-Star break. In 14 starts since, he?s 3-9 with a 6.81 ERA. Gaudin took the loss in his last start against Seattle on Sept. 16, but only three of the eight runs he allowed in four innings were earned.

Red Sox: Schilling will make this start on eight days of rest as the Red Sox have finagled their rotation to line it up better for postseason. Schilling was in the midst of a superb performance against the Yankees in his last start until Derek Jeter clubbed a three-run homer to snap a 1-1 tie in top of the eighth. Schilling took the tough-luck loss in that one, giving up six hits and four runs over 7 2/3 innings. He has pitched well of late, seemingly getting stronger with each outing. This, despite the fact Schilling has lost his past three decisions. Schilling has been dominant against Oakland this season, going 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA in two starts. In the latter of those two outings -- on June 7 at Oakland -- Schilling came within one out of a no-hitter, only to have it broken up by Shannon Stewart.


 Wednesday, September 26 Purchase Tickets Fenway Park | 2:00 PM PT
OAK Joe Blanton, RHP (14-10, 3.84)
Athletics (75-83) 		  @   BOS Jon Lester, LHP (4-0, 4.45)
Red Sox (93-64)

Scouting Report:
A's: Blanton pitched five strong innings against the Indians in his last start, but gave up back-to-back home runs to Ryan Garko and Jhonny Peralta to start the sixth inning in a 4-3 loss. The defeat broke Blanton?s three-game winning streak, and it was only his second loss in his last seven decisions. In what will likely be his last start of the season, he will look to finish up strong against the Red Sox.

Red Sox: The left-hander, aside from a poor outing on Sept. 12, has been rounding into form of late. Lester is 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA in four September starts. He has not faced Oakland this season. Just three of Lester's 10 starts on the season have occurred at Fenway, where he is 1-0 with a 3.78 ERA. Lefties are hitting .228 against Lester.


 Friday, September 28 Purchase Tickets McAfee Coliseum | 7:05 PM PT
LAA John Lackey, RHP (18-9, 3.11)
Angels (92-66) 		  @   OAK Dan Haren, RHP (15-8, 3.12)
Athletics (75-83)

Scouting Report:
Angels: This will be the final tuneup for the Angels? ace before he takes the ball in Game 1 of the AL Division Series against the Yanks or Red Sox on Oct. 3 or Oct. 4. Lackey worked seven strong innings in the AL West clincher against the Mariners on Sunday in Anaheim, yielding two runs while striking out seven and walking none. Lackey?s big curveball was his strikeout pitch, set up by fastballs in excellent locations down in the zone. He?ll use the assignment against the A?s as an opportunity to keep his stuff sharp, but he?ll also be out there to win. Over his past six starts, covering 44 2/3 innings, he has issued just six walks while striking out 44 hitters ? evidence of exceptional command. There?s no better competitor around than the big Texan, who is 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA in four starts against the A?s this year and 11-3 with a 2.99 lifetime ERA in 22 outings against Oakland.

A's: Haren turned in a solid performance against the Indians Saturday, winning for the first since Aug. 21. His only mistake came on Grady Sizemore's two-run homer in the fifth. Haren allowed two runs, seven hits, struck out six and walked one. The right-hander, who started for the American League in July's All-Star Game in San Francisco, will aim to end his season on a strong note against the Angels.


 Saturday, September 29 Purchase Tickets McAfee Coliseum | 1:05 PM PT
LAA Kelvim Escobar, RHP (17-7, 3.46)
Angels (92-66) 		  @   OAK Dallas Braden, LHP (1-8, 6.88)
Athletics (75-83)

Scouting Report:
Angels: After experiencing some shoulder inflammation and on the heels of four straight substandard outings, Escobar is getting 11 days of rest, dating to his last start on Sept. 17 against Tampa Bay, to gear up for the postseason. The team wants its co-ace back in a solid groove and in a confident frame of mind. Escobar figures he'll throw in the area of 80 pitches against the A's, a team that's 3-0 against him this year even though his ERA is a solid 2.70. Escobar has given up 29 hits and 20 earned runs in his past 17 2/3 innings and 12 earned runs in the past two starts, covering 9 1/3 innings. His ERA over that period rose from 2.77 to 3.46, taking him out of serious Cy Young Award consideration.

A?s: Braden, a 6-foot-1 lefty from Phoenix, Ariz., hasn't thrown a quality start since his big league debut, a three-hit, one-run performance over six innings in Baltimore on Apr. 24. Since then, he has allowed 57 runs in 63 1/3 innings. The Cleveland Indians celebrated their 2007 American League Central title after beating Braden on Sunday, when the rookie was filling in for injury-addled starter Rich Harden. Braden will fill in again for Braden this weekend.