A's Jackson hopes to continue success against Angels

Edwin Jackson has settled in nicely with the Oakland A's.

Of course, he is used to getting comfortable in a hurry. Jackson has played for 13 teams in his 15-year major-league career, tying a major-league record.

He'll try to continue his recent hot streak on Saturday night when he makes his ninth start since getting claimed by the A's. He'll take on the Los Angeles Angels in the second game of the three-game series at Angel Stadium.

Oakland (68-48) lost the series opener 4-3 on Friday night. The Angels (59-58) climbed over .500 for the first time since July 29 with their fourth straight win.

Jackson (3-2, 2.87 ERA) will be trying to win three consecutive starts for the first time in five years.

He hasn't allowed an earned run in his past two outings, blanking the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on three hits over 5 2/3 innings of a 10-1 win on July 30, and allowing five hits and one unearned run over 6 1/3 innings of a 2-1 victory against the visiting Detroit Tigers last Saturday.

"For a guy that's been around as long as he has, he looks inspired to be in a playoff race like this and enjoys the group," A's manager Bob Melvin told the San Jose Mercury News after the win against Detroit. "I think that's part of what you're seeing out there. On top of that, he mixes his pitches pretty well."

Oakland signed Jackson to a minor-league deal on June 6 and he made his A's debut on June 25 against the Tigers, holding them to one run and six hits over six innings in the 5-4 victory. He has had just one rough outing, on July 25 against the Texas Rangers, when he gave up five runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, but the A's still won 6-5.

Jackson told the Mercury News that the experience he has with joining new teams, as well as his easy-going personality, has made the transition easier.

"I'm pretty much a people person," he said. It's not hard to get along with me and it's not hard for me to get along with others. Plus I know how to come into a team and not do too much, but not do too little at the same time. I'm not trying to come in and take over as a leader or be a super hero, be loud and all that. But at the same time I'm not a hermit crab. It's kind of a happy medium."

Jackson is 4-4 in 12 career appearances (nine starts) against the Angels with a 3.83 ERA. He last faced them on July 18, 2017, as a member of the Washington Nationals, allowing two runs and three hits in seven innings and earning the win in the 4-3 victory.

Angels left fielder Justin Upton is 7-for-16 in his career off Jackson with three doubles and a home run.

Angels left-hander Tyler Skaggs missed his last start with a bothersome groin, but is expected to return to start Saturday.

Skaggs (8-7, 3.34 ERA) was 0-4 in his career against the A's coming into this season, but won both starts against Oakland in 2018 and hasn't allowed an earned run in either outing.

He threw 6 1/3 shutout innings against the A's in the second game of the season, a 2-1 victory in Oakland.

He returned to Oakland Alameda Coliseum on June 15 and the A's only managed two unearned runs off Skaggs over seven innings in Oakland's 8-4 loss.

"I really want to come back and pitch the way I have been all season," Skaggs told the Los Angeles Times last weekend.