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Jon Lester vs "Big Game James" Shields in Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium. Who wants to play the LA Angels?
The Oakland A's and Kansas City Royals are playing one game tonight to decide who goes on the face the AL West Champs on Thursday night in Angel Stadium.
Since joining the Athletics at the Trade Deadline in a deal with the Boston Red Sox, Lester is (6-4) in 11 starts with a 2.35 ERA, 16 walks (1.88 BB/9) and 71 Ks (8.33 K/9) in 76 ⅔ innings pitched in which he's held opposing hitters to a .232/.273/.359 line.
It's September 30, but #OAKtober starts tonight. Lineups for #WildCard game vs. Royals: pic.twitter.com/EXrqxTjYZo
— #OAKtober (@Athletics) September 30, 2014
James Shields, acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in December of 2012, went (14-8) in his second season in Kansas City with a 3.21 ERA, 44 walks (1.74 BB/9), 180 Ks (7.14 K/9) and a .256/.298/.404 line against in 227 IP.
In 14 second-half starts, Shields is (5-3) with a 2.62 ERA, 17 walks (1.59 BB/9) and 70 Ks (6.54 K/9) in 96 ⅓ IP in which he's held opposing hitters to a .235/.273/.359 line, but he's winless in his last three starts with a 4.12 ERA in his last 19 ⅔ IP.
Lester is (3-2) in five September starts with a 2.00 ERA, eight walks (2.00 BB/9), 34 Ks (8.50 K/9) and a .235/.282/.386 line against in 36 IP over the last month.
They meet up at 8:00 and one team is going (or staying, I guess) home after that.
Here are the lineups:
Big Game James & the #Royals face the A’s in tonight’s #WildCard matchup at 7:00 CT. Preview: http://t.co/IBq6Ij8Hzr pic.twitter.com/bLobNTCV8e
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) September 30, 2014
• Shields vs the A's:
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP | missG | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Dunn | 40 | 35 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 16 | .200 | .300 | .286 | .586 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Coco Crisp | 29 | 28 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | .214 | .241 | .214 | .456 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Alberto Callaspo | 26 | 24 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | .250 | .269 | .250 | .519 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Jed Lowrie | 22 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | .143 | .136 | .143 | .279 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Josh Reddick | 22 | 22 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 | .318 | .318 | .864 | 1.182 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Nick Punto | 18 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | .286 | .444 | .286 | .730 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Brandon Moss | 14 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | .214 | .214 | .214 | .429 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Sam Fuld | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .200 | .333 | .200 | .533 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Josh Donaldson | 9 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .222 | .222 | .556 | .778 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Geovany Soto | 9 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .111 | .111 | .111 | .222 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Derek Norris | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .000 | .167 | .000 | .167 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Stephen Vogt | 6 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Eric Sogard | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Jonny Gomes | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .500 | .667 | .500 | 1.167 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 221 | 204 | 44 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 14 | 53 | .216 | .267 | .304 | .571 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
.@JLester31 & the A's face the Royals in tonight’s #WildCard game at 5 PT. #OAKtober Preview: http://t.co/yAVw7NLHuJ pic.twitter.com/74uhHCNwlE
— #OAKtober (@Athletics) September 30, 2014
• Lester vs the Royals:
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP | missG | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billy Butler | 33 | 28 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 11 | .143 | .273 | .179 | .451 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Alex Gordon | 28 | 25 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10 | .160 | .214 | .240 | .454 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Josh Willingham | 26 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 | .150 | .346 | .200 | .546 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Omar Infante | 22 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .150 | .190 | .150 | .340 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Alcides Escobar | 21 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | .353 | .429 | .471 | .899 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Lorenzo Cain | 17 | 16 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | .313 | .353 | .500 | .853 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Eric Hosmer | 17 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | .308 | .471 | .538 | 1.009 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Raul Ibanez | 15 | 15 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Mike Moustakas | 15 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | .250 | .400 | .250 | .650 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Nori Aoki | 10 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .444 | .500 | .444 | .944 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Salvador Perez | 9 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | .500 | .556 | .667 | 1.222 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Jarrod Dyson | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Erik Kratz | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Christian Colon | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 2.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 220 | 188 | 46 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 25 | 50 | .245 | .338 | .340 | .678 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
Who's watching the AL Wild Card Game?
Finishing touches ready! #postseason #takethecrown pic.twitter.com/8rYH3ZQE2i
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) September 30, 2014