MLB Game Preview - Oakland at Chicago Sox

Sun Aug 11, 2019 2:10 PM EDT

Lucas Giolito will go for back-to-back victories for the first time in nearly two months when the Chicago White Sox host the Oakland Athletics in the rubber match of a three-game series Sunday afternoon.

Giolito (12-5, 3.44 ERA) is coming off a quality start and victory Monday against the Detroit Tigers, which snapped a winless skid that spanned five starts. The 25-year-old earned an All-Star selection this season and is looking to bounce back from a sluggish July.

"They say win-loss record doesn't matter, but as a pitcher you take pride in everything, and you want to make sure you are winning games," Giolito told reporters after his last outing. "It feels good to get back in that column.

"It's kind of weird. It wasn't one of those games where I feel like I really deserved it, like I really got after it. But it's a long season and I'm still trying to adjust to a lot of things."

In his only career start against Oakland, Giolito earned a victory despite allowing four runs in seven innings for a 5.14 ERA.

Oakland will try to bounce back at the plate after falling short 3-2 on Saturday evening to even the series at one win apiece. The A's were held scoreless until the ninth inning, when an error by White Sox third baseman Ryan Goins allowed a pair of runs to score.

In their past 12 games, the A's are 8-4 and have outscored opponents 59-46 during that stretch. Oakland is 4-1 against the White Sox this year.

A's right-hander Chris Bassitt (7-5, 3.80) is scheduled to make his 20th start of the season and the 50th start of his career. He has registered back-to-back quality starts but earned a no-decision in both outings against the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs.

The 30-year-old Bassitt was drafted by the White Sox and made his debut with Chicago in 2014. The A's acquired him Dec. 9, 2014, as part of a deal that also sent Marcus Semien, Josh Phegley and Rangel Ravelo to Oakland in exchange for Jeff Samardzija and Michael Ynoa.

In three career starts against the White Sox, Bassitt is 1-1 with a 4.32 ERA. He has walked five and struck out 14 in 16 2/3 innings.

One player Bassitt will need to be aware of is White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, who enters Sunday with a nine-game hitting streak in tow. Anderson tallied what proved to be the deciding run Saturday when he scored from first base on a single by Welington Castillo.

The Athletics' top threats at the plate include Matt Chapman, who leads the club with 25 homers, and Matt Olson, who has 22 homers.

A's manager Bob Melvin will try to add to his milestone of 700 victories with the organization, which he achieved on Friday. He took over the club in 2011.

"It feels like it's been a short period of time, and it feels like it's been forever," Melvin quipped to reporters.

--Field Level Media