Preview: Athletics (54-41) at Twins (46-49) 4:05 p.m. EDT

SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW

(OAKLAND-MINNESOTA)

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Mark Mulder goes for his third consecutive complete game on Saturday as the Oakland Athletics continue a four-game series against the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome.

Mulder has tossed consecutive complete games and leads the major leagues with seven this season. He went the distance in three consecutive starts from April 24-May 6.

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After losing the first of his back-to-back complete games, Mulder (12-6, 3.03 ERA) defeated the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on July 10, when he gave up two runs and five hits.

The 25-year-old lefthander is trying to join Toronto's Roy Halladay as the only 13-game winners in the major leagues.

Mulder is 4-2 with a 2.16 ERA in eight career starts against the Twins.

Minnesota counters with Brad Radke, who is 6-10 with a 3.80 ERA in 21 career starts against Oakland.

Radke (5-9, 5.49) has lost his last six decisions since posting his last victory on May 16. He lost to the Anaheim Angels last Saturday after allowing four runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings.

The veteran righthander has struggled this season at the Metrodome, where he is 3-5 with a 7.58 ERA in 10 starts.

After going into the All-Star break on an eight-game losing streak, the Twins have won their first two against the Athletics, including a dramatic 3-2 victory on Friday.

Minnesota scored twice in the eighth inning and held on for the victory after Torii Hunter made a diving catch on Ramon Hernandez's sinking live drive to end the game.

Chris Gomez had a pair of RBI singles and Hunter went 0-for-2 with two walks on his 28th birthday for the Twins, who won despite managing only three hits.

Eric Chavez and pinch hitter Billy McMillon had run-scoring hits as the Athletics fell to 0-2 on a 12-game road trip.