San Francisco Giants

A's-Giants series shifts to San Francisco (Aug 02, 2017)

Published Aug. 2, 2017 5:58 a.m. ET

OAKLAND, Calif. -- When Oakland Athletics rookie Daniel Gossett faced the New York Mets two starts ago at Citi Field, he was as sharp as he has been in his young career.

Gossett allowed two runs and five hits, struck out six and walked two in six innings during a 3-2 victory on July 23.

Five days later, Gossett lasted only 3 2/3 innings in a 6-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins at Oakland Coliseum. He allowed five runs (four earned) and nine hits, walked three and struck out four.

"That's baseball," Gossett said. "Baseball will humble you at any second. It doesn't care. It is ruthless. But that's part of the game. We know. We learn from it. We actually take a step back and evaluate, then move forward from there."

Gossett will take those tough lessons into his first career start in the Bay Bridge Series on Wednesday night against the Giants and left-hander Matt Moore at AT&T Park in San Francisco.

After dropping an 8-5 decision to the A's on Monday night, the Giants evened the series with a 10-4 win Tuesday night as Nick Hundley, Brandon Belt and Hunter each homered at the Coliseum. Now the series moves across the bay for the final two games.

Gossett (2-6, 5.74 ERA) said he didn't have his best stuff against the Twins but understands he has to find ways to win even when he is not at his best.

"It comes down to making an adjustment, being able to be aware that you don't have your stuff and understand the adjustment you need make to be able to compete," Gossett said. "That will come with time."

Moore, like Gossett, will start a Bay Bridge Series game for the first time. Moore (3-10, 5.74 ERA) is having a rough season, but he has flashed signs of progress in his past three starts. He went 0-1 with a 4.19 ERA during that stretch.

"After the break, I liked the way the ball's coming out against Cleveland and then my next two, same thing," Moore said. "I think a couple days ago in L.A. it was right there for me to execute and get out of there with the lead. I think there's a lot more positives rolling into the next one, so it's easier to build off of."

In his last start on Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Moore allowed four runs (three earned) and three hits in 6 1/3 innings and got a no-decision in the Giants' 6-4 loss.

Moore went 6-5 with a 4.08 ERA in 12 starts for the Giants last season after coming to San Francisco from Tampa Bay on Aug. 1 in exchange for infielder Matt Duffy and two prospects. In Game 4 of the National League Division series against the Chicago Cubs, Moore allowed two runs and two hits in eight innings with 10 strikeouts but got a no-decision in the Giants' 6-5, 13-inning loss.

Moore is 48-43 with a 4.20 ERA in 129 career appearances, including 127 starts. He went 17-4 with the Rays in 2013.

This season is not what he expected. Far from it.

"You just deal with it day by day," Moore said. "If you kind of try to take back things that have already happened, you wind up beating your head against the wall. So for me it's just about looking forward to the next one, looking forward to the next day I can get better.

"And typically every day between starts there's something I can do to make sure I'm ready for my next one. I think that's kind of where most of my focus goes is to the things I can control and the things I can take advantage of, the things that are yet to come."

Moore is 1-1 with a 7.04 ERA in four career starts against the A's.