Athletics 5, Orioles 2
Eric Sogard and Josh Reddick homered and Brandon McCarthy tossed seven strong innings as the Athletics snapped the Orioles’ four-game winning streak.
McCarthy (1-3) gave up two runs on five hits with four strikeouts to win for the first time in six starts. Grant Balfour worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth inning for his sixth save.
Oakland took a 3-1 lead in the second inning on Kurt Suzuki’s RBI double and Sogard’s third home run off Jake Arrieta (1-2), who allowed four runs on four hits over 5 2/3 innings.
Reddick hit a solo shot in the sixth inning for his sixth home run in 24 games against Baltimore, and he added to the Athletics’ lead with an RBI double in the eighth.
Nick Markakis and Adam Jones drove in runs for the Orioles, who have scored five or fewer runs in each of their last 10 games.
The Athletics have also been struggling offensively, but they made the most of their five hits. After scoring just 16 runs in their previous six games, Oakland opened its nine-game road trip with five against Baltimore.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Umpire Jeff Kellogg tackled a fan who slid into home plate during the seventh-inning stretch…Orioles second baseman Robert Andino went 0-for-4 after missing two games for the birth of his third child… Orioles closer Jim Johnson rejoined the team after missing four games because of food poisoning…Athletics outfielder Coco Crisp, who missed seven of the last eight games with a head cold, went 1-for-3 with a run scored.