Tampa Bay at Oakland

The A's have won 40 of 63 since the beginning of June to open up a 4.5 game lead in the AL West. Two average pitchers face off here with Tim Corcoran at 1-3 on the road with a 5.06 ERA vs. Esteban Loaiza at 2-3 at home with a 5.85 ERA. Corcoran though has struggled of late posting a 6.59 ERA in his last three starts. Oakland has momentum right now (won eight of nine) while Tampa Bay does not (lost five straight). Tampa is a bad road team (only KC and Pittsburgh are worse). The D-Rays score 4.0 per game on the road and are 18-44. Over their last seven games they are scoring just 3.6 per game. Oakland is putting up 5.3 per game over their last seven. They have the better bullpen, too which in a matchup of roughly even pitchers, plays a big role. Home favorites of -150 or more batting .265 or worse on the season, after allowing 3 runs or less 2 straight games are 132-42 (76%) over the past decade. Meanwhile, underdogs of +125 to +175 batting .260 or worse after scoring 3 runs or less 3 straight games are just 47-123 (28%) over that same time period. Tampa is 5-25 this season on the road vs. good bullpens with a WHIP of 1.350 or better. Athletics here.