| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics have a simple
formula for winning -- no matter how many homers an opponent hits,
the A's will hit one more.
|  | | Ramon Hernandez rounds third after hitting the A's fourth HR of the game, a 3-run shot in the eighth. |
Ramon Hernandez's three-run homer, the A's fourth of the game,
capped a four-run eighth as Oakland rallied to defeat the Baltimore
Orioles 8-5 Tuesday for their seventh straight win -- the most by an
Athletics team since 1994.
After Matt Stairs' solo shot with two outs in the eighth tied
the game at 5, Orioles starter Sidney Ponson (4-4) walked Miguel
Tejada and Eric Chavez. Calvin Maduro, just off the disabled list,
relieved Ponson and allowed Hernandez's homer.
Chavez hit a two-run homer and Ben Grieve added a solo shot,
both in the sixth inning. Jason Giambi added an RBI single for the
A's.
"The home runs were quick. Nothing built up to them, it was
just like, `Bam,"' Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said. "We missed
in the middle of the plate to the wrong hitters."
The winning streak is the longest by the A's since they won
eight straight games on June 23-July 1, 1994. By winning the first
two games of the three-game series against Baltimore, the A's also
clinched a seventh consecutive series win -- the longest such streak
since winning 11 straight series in 1988.
The Orioles hit three homers off Tim Hudson (8-2), who has won
his last seven decisions. Jason Isringhausen pitched the ninth for
his 17th save.
"It's pretty fun to go out there and pitch when you have these
guys behind you," said Hudson, who came into the game third in the
AL in run support with 8.32 runs per nine innings. "It's good to
know you can go out there without your best stuff and still have a
chance to win."
Will Clark hit a two-run homer for the Orioles, while Mike
Bordick and Harold Baines added solo shots. Bordick matched his
career high with his 13th homer of the season -- he hit just 21
homers while playing for the A's from 1990 to 1996.
Cal Ripken's RBI groundout drove in the other run for the
Orioles, who have lost four straight and are a major league worst
10-26 on the road.
Oakland's comeback win came less than 24 hours after the A's
rallied from a seven-run deficit to defeat the Orioles 13-12 in 10
innings on Monday night. That marked the most runs Baltimore has
scored in a loss in club history.
A's manager Art Howe said he'd be happier to skip the comebacks
and simply build early leads.
"I'd rather do it the other way, try it the Tiger Woods way
from beginning to end," Howe said.
Grieve's homer was his sixth in the last eight games. He has 13
homers this season, and Tuesday's blast was his first in a day
game.
Giambi, who came into the game second in the AL with 69 RBIs,
now has 18 RBIs in his last 12 games.
Ponson, who allowed seven runs on eight hits and four walks in 7
2-3 innings, had a career-high nine strikeouts -- whiffing John Jaha
four times. But he was given a lead three times, and each time gave
it up.
"I'm not frustrated. I have to tell the truth -- I just pitched
bad," Ponson said. "Every time we scored a run, I'd go out there
and give it back up. You're not going to win like that. The guys
scored runs for me, and I just gave them back."
The Orioles had no assists in the game, only the sixth time in
baseball history that's happened. Baltimore was the first major
league team to do that since Cincinnati in a 1997 game against
Colorado.
Game notes
B.J. Surhoff extended his hitting streak to 14 games for
the Orioles with a pair of singles. ... Terrence Long extended his
hitting streak to 10 games for the A's with a third-inning single.
... The Orioles activated Maduro from the disabled list before the
game and optioned RHP Gabe Molina to Rochester of the International
League. ... Brady Anderson missed his second straight game for the
Orioles with a slightly strained right quadriceps. ... RHP Mike
Trombley missed his second straight game for Baltimore with a
throat infection. ... The A's said Ariel Prieto will be called up
from the minors in time to start Wednesday's game against the
Orioles. ... The A's reached .500 at home. They improved to 17-17
at the Oakland Coliseum this season. ... The A's are 14-3 in June.
| |
ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Baltimore Clubhouse
Oakland Clubhouse
RECAPS
Oakland 8
Baltimore 5
NY Yankees 3
Boston 0
Detroit 18
Toronto 6
Cleveland 4
Chi. White Sox 1
Texas 5
Minnesota 2
Kansas City 8
Anaheim 6
Seattle 4
Tampa Bay 3
Florida 8
Milwaukee 2
Pittsburgh 2
Montreal 1
Philadelphia 3
NY Mets 2
Cincinnati 3
Colorado 2
Atlanta 11
Chicago Cubs 4
Los Angeles 9
Houston 6
St. Louis 7
San Francisco 2
San Diego 3
Arizona 1
|
