Opposite dugout: AL-leading A's bring ace pitching staff, productive lineup to Baltimore

Manager: Bob Melvin, fourth year Record: 37-24 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: 1B Brandon Moss (.284/.372/.589, 15 HR, 49 RBIs); 3B Josh Donaldson (.280/.369/.542, 16 HR, 49 RBIs); RHP Sonny Gray (6-1, 2.45 ERA, 1.15 WHIP); LHP Scott Kazmir (6-2, 2.40 ERA, 0.99 WHIP) Season series vs. O's (2013): 2-5, 26 runs scored, 48 runs allowed Pitching probables June 6: Tommy Milone vs. Wei-Yin Chen, 7 p.m., MASN HD June 7: Sonny Gray vs. Kevin Gausman, 7 p.m., FOX June 8: Scott Kazmir vs. Ubaldo Jimenez, 1:30 p.m., MASN HD Series breakdown The reasons to turn your eyes toward Camden Yards this weekend are plentiful with the American League's best club coming to Baltimore. The Athletics bring baseball's top pitching staff and one of the majors' best offenses to town. So to say the Orioles - winners of four straight before losing Thursday - have a tall task ahead might be an understatement. Let's start with the pitching. The A's lead the big leagues with a 2.90 ERA, a .222 average against and a 1.13 WHIP. They own the AL's best rotation with a 3.02 ERA and bullpen with a 2.67 ERA despite tying for second with nine blown saves. The Orioles will get a look at the A's top two starters after seeing left-hander Tommy Milone (3-3, 3.60 ERA) in Friday night's series opener. Right-hander Sonny Gray faces former first-round pick Kevin Gausman in an enticing pitching matchup Saturday before left-hander Scott Kazmir goes up against Ubaldo Jimenez on Sunday. Kazmir (6-2, 2.40 ERA) and Gray (6-1, 2.45 ERA) have been the best one-two punch in baseball this season, ranking fourth and fifth in the AL in ERA. Kazmir ranks second in the AL with a 0.99 WHIP as well. The Orioles could also get their first up-close look at their former closer, Jim Johnson. The A's acquired Johnson from Baltimore over the winter with the ninth-inning role in mind, but it hasn't panned out. Johnson, who made 101 saves from 2012-13 with the Orioles, has had a rough year, going 3-2 with a team-worst 6.26 ERA and just two saves in three chances, losing his intended job. The A's come into the series pretty hot, having won five in a row before losing Thursday in large part because of their potent lineup. Oakland outscored opponents 38-17 during their five-game winning streak. That helped the A's rise to second in majors with 309 runs. They also lead the majors with a .338 on-base percentage and have hit the third-most homers in baseball (72), helping to overcome a pedestrian .252 team average. First baseman Brandon Moss (.961 OPS) and third baseman Josh Donaldson (.911 OPS) provide quite the corner-infield tandem, ranking fifth and eighth in the AL in OPS. Donaldson, Moss and outfielder Yoenis Cespedes all rank in the AL's top 10 in homers as well with 16, 15 and 12, respectively. Donaldson is fourth, Moss is fifth and Cespedes is 10th. The Orioles might've had their way with the A's a year ago, winning five of the team's seven meetings. But this year, ousting the A's could be a much greater challenge.