HOUSTON -- Oakland Athletics rookie right-hander Daniel Mengden, a Houston native drafted by his hometown franchise, will get an opportunity to show the Astros what theyre missing Friday at Minute Maid Park.Mengden (1-4, 3.48 ERA) will make his first career start against the organization that selected him in the fourth round of the 2014 draft. Mengden was packaged along with catcher Jacob Nottingham in the deal that sent veteran left-hander Scott Kazmir to Houston on July 23, 2015.Selected from Triple-A Nashville on June 11, Mengden will make his sixth start of the career. His 31 strikeouts are tied for second in franchise history (since 1913) for the most by a pitcher over his first five appearances (Tim Hudson, 33 in 1999). Mengden, a product of nearby Texas A&M, began the season at Double-A Midland and finished 2-0 with a 0.78 ERA before his promotion to Nashville on May 1.With the Sounds, Mengden went 3-1 with a 1.39 ERA in seven starts. His ERA was the sixth-lowest in the minors at the time of his promotion.And while Mengden will get the first crack at helping Oakland (37-49) make it two in a row over the Astros following the Athletics 3-1 win on Friday night, the Oakland bullpen will also play a key role.Right-handers John Axford, Ryan Dull and Ryan Madson combined to work three perfect innings in the series opener, with Axford first relieving lefty Ken Hill and notching two strikeouts in the seventh inning. Axford had struggled of late, blowing two saves while posting an 18.00 ERA over his last six appearances.That was great to see, Athletics manager Bob Melvin. Weve seen now how effective he can be. Hes gone through a little bit of a tough stretch, obviously. I think looking at his history hes had some stretches through the course of the season where he hasnt been as effective and he works hard to get through it, but I think this was a big game for him to pitch in a close game like that, get a 1-2-3 inning. He looked good.Right-hander Collin McHugh (5-6, 4.50 ERA) will make his 18th start of the season for the Astros. He allowed four runs on five hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings in his lone appearance against the Athletics this season but did not factor in the decision. McHugh is 4-1 with a 3.23 ERA in his career against the Athletics, a mark that includes six starts.While the Astros (46-40) will get an opportunity to improve to 12 games over .500 against right-handed starters, they fell to 11-16 against southpaw starters, a surprising record given the right-handed presence of George Springer, Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa in their lineup.We can certainly hit left-handed pitching, Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. Weve got guys who can do it. Weve got a few guys hitting under their career norms, and thats never good. Halfway through the season, I dont think we can declare that we cant hit lefties. I think weve got some left-handed pitchers we arent racing up to the batters box to face. But clearly, its been a touch of a struggle for us against that side.Bruce Smith Womens Jersey . Isner, ranked No. 14, won his eighth career singles title and took the title in New Zealand for the second time after his victory in 2010. The match was similar to Isners quarterfinal victory over fifth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber which went to three sets, all tiebreaks and contained no breaks of serve. TreDavious White Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. http://www.shoptheofficialbills.com/Elite-Josh-Allen-Bills-Jersey/ . PETERSBURG, Fla. Doug Flutie Bills Jersey . -- Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg. TreDavious White Youth Jersey . It might not have mattered. While the Dodgers are preparing for the playoffs, the Padres showed their future has promise behind two rookies.England became only the fourth country to finish a year unbeaten since South Africa achieved the feat in 1995. But what can they learn from the other teams who went a calendar year without losing a match?We take a look at previous unbeaten teams and what followed.South Africa - 1995South Africa warmed up to hosting the World Cup with quite an average start to 1994. It started with a defeat to England, before they tied the tour in the second Test. They suffered back-to-back defeats to the All Blacks before going the rest of the year unbeaten with a draw against the Kiwis and four wins over Argentina (twice), Scotland and Wales.That set up the ultimate year for the Springboks, in which they defeated Australia, France and New Zealand on their way to winning the World Cup on home soil. After securing the Webb Ellis Cup, they added the scalps of Wales and England at the end of the year. But they could not maintain that level of invincibility.The following year Australia and New Zealand handed back-to-back defeats to the Boks. They won back some pride in victory over Australia in Bloemfontein, before the All Blacks got further retribution for the World Cup final defeat with three consecutive victories in South Africa. The Boks finished the year strongly with wins against Argentina (twice), France (twice) and Wales but 1995 was when they peaked.All Blacks - 1997John Hart came in as head coach in 1996 and after a nine-game winning streak he saw his unbeaten season finished by the Springboks in their final Test of the year.But the promising signs were there as Harts All Blacks went on a 12-game unbeaten run the following year. Australia were on the losing end three times but the Springboks came close to knocking them off their perch in Johannesburg, but fell to a 32-35 defeat.The All Blacks learnt their lessons and in the return fixture hit the Springboks for 55 points, Ireland for 63 and Wales for 42 points.It set up a thrilling finish to the year for them against England and despite trailing 23-9 at the break, they responded emphatically in the second-half to draw 26-26.?How did it end? Well, Harts side started the next year by hammering England 64-22 and 40-10 before the house of cards came tumbling down. Both Australia and South Africa handed the Kiwis defeats as New Zealand lost four-in-a-row.Ireland - 2009After an abysmal 2008 which saw Ireland lose to France, Wales and England in the Six Nations, Eddie OSullivan exited as Irish head coach.dddddddddddd A 22-3 defeat to the All Blacks followed, but despite their bad run of form, OSullivan had set the foundations for the year to come under Declan Kidney.Ireland set 2009 alight, starting with a Grand Slam triumph in Cardiff and then eased past USA and Canada in the summer tour. Their impressive year was threatened by the Wallabies in November, but Brian ODriscolls last minute try, on his 100th Test cap, salvaged a 20-20 draw. Fiji were brushed aside before an almost perfect year was rounded off with a 15-10 victory over South Africa.But push on, Ireland did not. The following year didnt quite go to plan for Kidney as defeats to eventual Grand Slam winners France, and Scotland made for a forgettable Six Nations. A 66-28 humbling against the All Blacks and a narrow 22-15 defeat to Australia followed.It was a harsh autumn for the Irish as South Africa completed a clean sweep of victories for the Tri-Nations teams over Ireland and the All Blacks were at it again in Dublin, beating Ireland 38-18.All Blacks - 2013New Zealand looked to be going through 2012 unbeaten, but England claimed a 38-21 victory at Twickenham in their final game of the year. Come 2013, Steve Hansens men had learnt their lesson.The All Blacks were sensational, winning 14 games in 2013; they beat France four times, Australia (three), South Africa, Argentina (both twice), England and Japan.They rounded the perfect year with the perfect try against Ireland. They were trailing going into the final throes of the match but went from inside their own half to score in the left corner through Ryan Crotty to tie the game and deny Ireland a historic victory. Aaron Cruden, at the second time of asking, split the posts with the conversion to put the finishing touches to a superb year.?It wasnt much of a come down for the All Blacks in 2014. What started with three victories over England, and a blip in the form of a draw to Australia, ended with five straight wins after their only defeat of the year to South Africa.It was the perfect preparation for their second World Cup triumph in 2015. ' ' '