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(Sports Network) - The Oakland Athletics have made quick work of the Cleveland Indians' top two starters in the first two tests of this weekend's three-game series. Now the Tribe are counting on a repeat performance out of Cliff Lee in this afternoon's finale to stop the bleeding.

Oakland took advantage of Fausto Carmona's exceptional wildness to register its fifth consecutive victory on Saturday, a 7-3 decision at Progressive Field. Bobby Crosby belted a three-run homer and Daric Barton delivered a two- RBI single to back a solid effort from Athletics emergency starter Lenny DiNardo.

DiNardo (1-0), inserted into the rotation due to the oft-injured Rich Harden's ailing shoulder, allowed two runs on six hits and did not walk a batter in his first start of the season.

Carmona (1-1) wasn't nearly as effective as his counterpart. The normally tough right-hander issued a whopping eight walks in just 3 1/3 innings and permitted three runs before his early exit.

In Friday's series opener, Oakland hammered reigning American League Cy Young winner C.C. Sabathia for nine runs and 12 hits through 3 1/3 frames en route to a 9-7 win over Cleveland.

The A's did not have the same success when they went up against Lee a week ago. The Indians left-hander was remarkably sharp in his season debut on April 6, as he surrendered just one unearned run on four hits and a walk over 6 2/3 innings to record his first major-league win since July 1 of last season. It was a showing more compatible with his 2005 campaign, when Lee won a career- high 18 contests and delivered a solid 3.79 earned run average.

The 29-year-old followed up with a decent 14-11, 4.40 ERA season in 2006 before his career hit the skids last year. Lee went just 5-8 with a 6.29 ERA in 20 appearances (16 starts) for the Indians in 2007, served up a woeful 17 home runs in 97 1/3 innings, and was banished to the minors for a period of time.

Lee's gem last weekend improved him to 3-1 with a 2.64 ERA in eight lifetime games against Oakland, seven of which have been starts.

In contrast, the A's Chad Gaudin's first outing of 2008 was one to forget about. The right-hander was tagged for six runs -- five earned -- on eight hits and gave up a pair of homers in a four-inning stint at Toronto on Tuesday. He wound up not receiving a decision in a 9-8 Oakland win.

Gaudin began the year on the disabled list while recovering from offseason surgeries to his hip and foot. In his first campaign as a starter, the 25- year-old posted a respectable 11-13 record and 4.42 ERA for Oakland in 2007.

He has faced Cleveland nine times previously, including three starts, and gone 2-1 with a 5.47 ERA over those games.

The A's have now won four of five meetings with the Indians this month, having bested Cleveland in a three-game series in Oakland last weekend. The team has not swept a series in Cleveland since winning four straight times from August 19-22, 2002.

Oakland will also be shooting for its first six-game win streak since August 11-16, 2006.