Swingin' ATHLETICS come in to CHARM City looking for good SEAFOOD and Series Win over the O's...O's looking for a Series Win also and covering some ground in the AL Wild Card and AL East Races..."WEEKEND BENDERS" going A La Carte in CAMDEN Yards #AsHardball #OsHardball

The Oakland Athletics come in off of a disappointing run in the last ten games having fell behind the AL West leading Texas Rangers by 2 1/2 games. They are #2 in the Wild Card holding a slim lead over the Tribe at 2 1/2 and the O's at three. The Division Winner is in the catbird seat and the Athletics know it and it's a two team race in the West.

The Orioles avoid a sweep at the hands of the 2nd place in the AL East Rays but get game three and they are 5 1/2 behind the Carmines in the AL East and that is within striking distance. They are also three back of the A's in the AL Wild Card and a 1/2 behind the Tribe but who needs to back into the "Fight for October". It's the A's and O's as we need no more letter's in the Alphabet in this three-piece "Weekend Bender" with AL Divisional and Wild Card Implications.

A's @ O's from Camden Yards in Charm City

August 23, 2013 7:05pm ET
OAK Straily (6-7) vs BAL Norris (9-10)

August 24, 2013 4:05pm ET
OAK Milone (9-9) vs BAL Tillman (14-4)

August 25, 2013 1:35pm ET
OAK Parker (9-6) vs BAL TBD

The A's will face 14 game-winner Tillman on Saturday but for the most part on paper they might have the edge on the bump in this one. The Pens will play a factor in this one as the A's Closer Grant Balfour and the O's Closer Jim Johnson will be called upon more than once in this series to roll the credits.

Hitting Stars in this one...

OAK

LF Cespedes 20 HR 58 RBI
1B Moss 20 HR 56 RBI
3B Donaldson .295 avg 18 HR 71 RBI 63 Runs

BAL

1B Crush .306 avg 46 HR 116 91 Runs
CF Adam Bombs .301 avg 26 HR 91 RBI 86 Runs
3B Machado .294 11 HR 58 RBI 75 Runs 43 Doubles

Note: Schedule and Numbers from MLB.com