(My Sportsbook) - A very weary Oakland Athletics team returns to McAfee Coliseum tonight to begin a brief two-game set with the division-rival Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

The Athletics also are coming back to the Bay Area disappointed after coming out on the short end of a 15-inning marathon against Seattle on Sunday. The Mariners' Jose Lopez finally put an end to the five-hour and two-minute thriller with an RBI single off Oakland's Dana Eveland that gave his team an 8-7 victory.

Oakland twice blew chances to finish out the contest. Fill-in closer Russ Springer gave up a solo home run to Kenji Johjima with one out in the bottom of the ninth that tied the game at 4-4, and the A's allowed three runs in the 13th after scoring the same number of times in the top of the frame.

All three Seattle runs in the 13th came against Gio Gonzalez, who threw 108 pitches in a five-inning stint out of the bullpen. A's manager Bob Geren then brought in Eveland (1-2), the starting pitcher in the team's loss to the Mariners on Friday.

Eveland was greeted by a single from Franklin Gutierrez to start the bottom of the 15th, then committed an error on a sacrifice attempt to put runners at second and third. After Ichiro Suzuki was intentionally walked, Lopez hit a flare into center field to bring home the winning run.

Landon Powell had given Oakland a 6-4 lead with a two-run double in the top of the 13th, with Orlando Cabrera adding an RBI single later in the inning.

With its pitching staff in need of a rest, the Athletics will be counting on a long outing from youngster Brett Anderson tonight. The highly-touted rookie hasn't gone more than 5 1/3 innings in any of his two previous starts, however, and was removed after five frames of his most recent outing after developing a blister on his left finger.

Anderson had pitched very well before exiting Tuesday's 5-4 loss to Texas, surrendering three runs -- one earned -- on just three hits while striking out five batters in a no-decision.

The 21-year-old is still in search of his first big league win, having gone 0-2 with a 5.01 earned run average over his initial four starts in the majors. He will be facing the Angels for the first time tonight.

Oakland does expect to have regular closer Brad Ziegler available for this evening's tilt after he missed the entire Seattle series due to a bout with the flu.

Anaheim had the benefit of an unscheduled day off on Sunday after the team's finale of a four-game series in New York was postponed due to rain. The Angels dropped their first two matchups with the Yankees before rebounding for an 8-4 triumph on Saturday.

Matt Palmer (2-0) held the Bronx Bombers to one run and three hits over 6 1/3 excellent innings for Anaheim, which blew a late five-run lead in a frustrating 10-9 loss to the Yankees on Friday.

Kendry Morales went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI to pace the Angels offensively, while Torii Hunter contributed a two-run double to the team's fourth win in its last six games.

Joe Saunders had been slated to pitch Sunday's matchup at Yankee Stadium, but the 2008 All-Star will now face the A's for a second time this season following the rainout.

Saunders turned in a gem against Oakland on Opening Day, yielding just three hits over 6 2/3 shutout innings of a 3-0 win at Angel Stadium. The effort improved the left-hander to 6-2 with a 3.90 ERA in 10 lifetime starts versus the Athletics.

The 27-year-old also produced a win his last time out, when Saunders fought through six innings to help give the Angels a 7-5 decision at Baltimore on Tuesday. He allowed four runs and 10 hits in the game, but only two of the runs were earned.

Oakland did win two of three games from the Angels in the season-opening series between the teams and is 5-2 over its last seven encounters with Anaheim.