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OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Boston Red Sox will be looking to gain ground on the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East when they begin a nine-game trip against one of the ALs weakest teams, the Oakland Athletics, on Friday night.Boston (74-59) begins the trip two games back of the Blue Jays (76-57) in the East.The Red Sox end the trip with three in Toronto. But before then, they get an opportunity to fatten up their record against the last-place team in the AL West (the As) and the last-place team in the National League West (the San Diego Padres).Red Sox ace David Price will begin and is expected to end that six-game stretch.Price has gone 3-2 with a 3.21 ERA in eight career starts against the As. Hes never faced the Padres.When the left-hander takes the mound for the bottom of the first Friday, he could have a new third baseman over his right shoulder.Prize prospect Yoan Moncada was among the players the Red Sox added when rosters were expanded to 40 players Thursday.Our teams that have had success have always had an injection of young players during the season that have helped carry the team to the postseason, Red Sox manager John Farrell told reporters Wednesday. I think Yoan would be in that similar category.Bostons only trip to Oakland and San Diego, of course, means each teams fan base will get an opportunity to say good-bye to retiring slugger David Ortiz.The fan favorite has never given Red Sox followers in the San Francisco Bay Area much to cheer about.His .271 career average versus the As is his second-lowest among all opponents against which hes played 100 or more games. Only Baltimore (.268) has limited him to a lower average.And his 23 home runs against Oakland is his second-fewest (100 or more games). Only Kansas City (21) has held him to fewer.Ortiz will take his cracks in this series against three of the As young starters -- Andrew Triggs, Zach Neal and Kendall Graveman. Hes faced them only five times in his career, going hitless (0-for-3) with two walks.Ortiz has never homered against any of Oaklands current pitchers, going 4-for-18 (.222).Triggs recorded his first career win in his last outing, Sunday at St. Louis. He struck out eight Cardinals in six innings, allowing three runs on four hits in the 7-4 win.His previous start was even better. He shut out the Cleveland Indians over six innings, striking out six, but didnt get a decision in what turned out to be a 1-0 loss.The win over the Cardinals came within driving distance of his hometown of Nashville, Tenn., so he was able to celebrate the big day with family and friends.To pitch as well as he has, and work himself into the rotation, As manager Bob Melvin said after the game, its very rewarding to get him a win.The As will be playing their 10th consecutive game against playoff contenders Friday. Theyve gone a respectable 4-5 in the first nine, winning series against the Cardinals and Indians. Cheap Authentic Lions Jerseys . Miller reached right to deflect Mikhail Grabovskis attempt with just over 2 minutes remaining in regulation, and then made two more saves in the shootout Sunday to give the Sabres a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals. Wholesale Lions Jerseys . 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TORONTO -- Corey Klubers first career start on short rest hardly went the way he wanted.Looking to finish off a Cleveland sweep in the AL Championship Series, the ace right-hander got touched up by the Toronto Blue Jays during a 5-1 defeat Tuesday in Game 4.Kluber was pushed up to pitch on three days rest because of several injuries to Clevelands rotation. He took the loss after allowing two runs and four hits while throwing 89 pitches in five innings.I felt fine, Kluber said. I dont think (the short rest) physically affected me.It was the first time the 2014 AL Cy Young Award winner permitted a playoff opponent to score. He had thrown 13 1/3 scoreless innings against the Red Sox and Blue Jays this October, his first postseason.We talked to Kluber after every inning and I thought he held his stuff really good, Indians manager Terry Francona said. I thought his legs started to get a little tired.Following their first loss in seven playoff games this year, the Indians remain one win from their first trip to the World Series since 1997. Theyll take a 3-1 ALCS lead into Game 5 on Wednesday, when rookie left-hander Ryan Merritt starts against Blue Jays righty Marco Estrada.Merritts major league resume consists of 11 regular-season innings this year. He made one start, holding Kansas City to a run and three hits in five innings on Sept. 30.If you told me on the first day of the season I would be pitching in the ALCS, I might have thought you were crazy, Merritt said. Clinching this win would be awesome. To get this opportunity is awesome. It feels good that the team trusts me.Francona is optimistic Merritt will be up to the task.I think hes OK, the manager said. He talked to (pitching coach Mickey Callaway) a little bit about the scouting report this morning.Cleveland has been without starters Carlos Carrasco (broken handd) and Danny Salazar (forearm) this entire postseason.dddddddddddd Right-hander Trevor Bauer left Game 3 after four batters when blood began dripping from his right pinkie, sliced open last week as the pitcher was repairing one of the drones he enjoys flying as a hobby.The early exit by Bauer forced the Indians to get 25 outs from their stellar bullpen Monday night and prompted Francona to turn to Kluber on short rest in Game 4.If the ALCS goes the distance, Kluber could wind up starting on three days rest again. Game 7 would be Saturday in Cleveland.Were one win away from the World Series and thats what were focused on, Kluber said.Kluber, who went 6 1/3 innings to win Game 1, pitched around singles in the first two innings Tuesday before giving up a two-out solo homer to reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson in the third.It marked the first time Cleveland trailed in the series.I made a mistake to Donaldson, Kluber said.There was more trouble for Kluber in the fourth, which began with back-to-back walks to Troy Tulowitzki and Russell Martin. It was the third time this season Kluber issued consecutive walks, and the first time hed done so against the first two batters in an inning.After Michael Saunders struck out swinging, Ezequiel Carrera made it 2-0 with a bloop single that dropped in front of center fielder Tyler Naquin. Kluber responded by striking out Kevin Pillar and Ryan Goins.Kluber retired his final five batters, striking out three. He walked two and fanned seven, matching his strikeout total from Game 2 of the Division Series against Boston.I thought we did a good job of battling, Martin said. Hes definitely a tough guy to score runs against, but we found a way to get a couple today. ' ' '