May 6, 2008

Justin Duchscherer leads A's to a 4-2 win over Orioles

By JANIE McCAULEY

The Associated Press

Justin Duchscherer is showing he's healthy again. Duchscherer won his second straight start in his third outing since coming off the disabled list and the Oakland Athletics beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-2 on Tuesday night for their third straight victory.

Emil Brown gave the A's a quick lead with a run-scoring single in the first and Bobby Crosby and Mark Ellis each drove in runs on groundouts in the third. Rajai Davis added a sacrifice fly for an insurance run in the sixth and Frank Thomas had two singles and scored twice.

Duchscherer (3-1) came out and delivered from the start. He struck out the first two batters he faced, retired the initial nine and got through three innings on only 30 pitches. He struck out two more in the third before allowing a leadoff walk to Brian Roberts to begin the fourth for his first baserunner.

Baltimore designated hitter Aubrey Huff singled in a run in the fourth to put the Orioles on the board with the first hit off Duchscherer, giving Huff a 10-game hitting streak.

Duchscherer allowed two runs on four hits in seven strong innings, struck out four and walked two. It was just his fourth start of the season and ninth of his career after the right-hander spent a stint on the DL last month with a strained biceps muscle in his throwing arm.

Alan Embree pitched a perfect eighth and Santiago Casilla finished for his first save in as many chances. Closer Huston Street didn't pitch a night after blowing his second straight save.

The A's got three straight two-out singles in the first off Brian Burres (3-3), including Brown's RBI blooper that landed just inside the right-field line and stayed put. Oakland loaded the bases again against Burres with three straight singles to start the third.

The left-hander lost his second straight start and the Orioles have dropped four straight games and six of seven.

Baltimore has played six straight games decided by two or fewer runs after a 2-1 loss in 10 innings in the series opener Monday.

Manager Dave Trembley called his players together for a brief team meeting near the dugout before they stretched for batting practice Tuesday. He reminded them that pitching has been strong and the rest of the facets will eventually come together.

'I think the guys need to know what I feel, how I feel about them,' Trembley said. 'One-run losses have a way of snowballing. They stay with you. They stay underneath your skin.'

Ellis, who already had an 0-for-18 funk earlier this season, dropped down from second in the order to seventh and went 0-for-3 and was hit by a pitch to move to 0-for-16 on the homestand.

He lined out with the bases loaded to end the first.

Notes:@ Baltimore is discussing how it might alter its rotation with off days Monday and next Thursday. ... The A's will have a tough decision to make once RHP Rich Harden comes off the 15-day disabled list, which could be as soon as Sunday at Texas. Harden struck out nine in six scoreless innings in a rehab start for Class-A Stockton on Tuesday. He allowed three hits, plunked three and didn't walk a batter. The A's have been discussing their options, with one starter surely to come out of the rotation to make room for Harden. Sending that pitcher to Triple-A Sacramento could be an option. 'At this point, we're leaving all options open,' manager Bob Geren said, acknowledging someone might wind up unhappy. 'Nothing's been decided.'