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A's end five-game skid to Giants

Jun 23, 2009 - 5:43 AM By JANIE McCAULEY AP Sports Writer

OAKLAND, Calif.(AP) -- Barely a week ago, the Oakland Athletics were swept in San Francisco having scored all of three runs in three games.

"We know we're a better team than we showed when we went there," reliever Brad Ziegler said.

Bobby Crosby had three RBIs, rookie Trevor Cahill won his third straight decision and the A's ended a five-game losing streak in the Bay Bridge Series with a 5-1 victory over the Giants on Monday night.

Travis Ishikawa hit a solo home run in the second to put San Francisco ahead but that's all the offense the Giants could muster. Orlando Cabrera doubled in a run in the fourth for Oakland to tie the game at 1, then Ryan Sweeney's RBI groundout two batters later gave the A's the lead.

Crosby hit a two-run double in the sixth and had an eighth-inning RBI groundout in Oakland's third win in four games.

Cahill (5-5) allowed four hits in seven innings, struck out four and walked one in his 15th start of the year, most by an AL rookie. He retired the final seven batters he faced and has allowed only four earned runs in his last 19 1-3 innings over his last three starts.

"The first game after getting swept, it's good to get on a positive note," Cahill said. "Maybe we can sweep them this time."

Ziegler pitched two perfect innings with a career-best four strikeouts for his sixth save in seven chances. Lately, he's looked a lot more like the pitcher who as a rookie last year tied the major league mark for relievers by pitching 39 straight shutout innings to start his career.

"I felt good tonight," he said. "(Catcher Kurt) Suzuki noticed I had a better fastball than I usually do. I had good Adrenalin. The crowd helped."

The Giants had outscored Oakland 27-4 during the five straight wins dating to last season. The A's managed just three total runs to get swept in San Francisco from June 12-14 - the first Giants' sweep since June 2001. That series is still plenty fresh for both franchises.

Struggling San Francisco starter Jonathan Sanchez (2-9) lost his fourth straight outing and is winless in five starts since a victory against Atlanta on May 25. The left-hander has a 7.22 ERA since that win, allowing 19 earned runs in 23 2-3 innings. It hasn't helped that the Giants have scored one or fewer runs in nine of his 13 starts.

"I just have to keep fighting ... keep working, that's all," Sanchez said.

Sanchez has gone six innings only twice this year.

His bosses discussed skipping his turn but opted to give him another start to try to work things out. Manager Bruce Bochy said afterward he will talk about that possibility again Tuesday with general manager Brian Sabean, though Sanchez emerged from a closed-door meeting with the skipper.

"It's something we're thinking about," Bochy said. "We'll get together tomorrow and talk about what we're going to do with Jonathan. What you're looking for is improvement and I thought tonight it was."

The Giants didn't have to go far to kick off a 10-game, 11-day road trip - just right across San Francisco Bay.

Giants infielder Juan Uribe was scratched because his injured left hamstring was still bothering him. He was hurt June 13 and has been limited to a pair of pinch-hit appearances since. Edgar Renteria played in his place.

NOTES: A's OF Rajai Davis stole his eighth base, in a close play against his former club. He also tripled. ... Oakland DH/1B Jason Giambi got the day off to rest his sore body. ... The "Moneyball" movie focused on the 2002 A's and GM Billy Beane's innovative management style has been put on hold. ... Rookie A's pitcher Josh Outman had an MRI exam on his injured right elbow area and will have a more extensive test Tuesday. He left Friday night's game against the San Diego Padres in the second inning with tightness in his pitching arm. ... A's minor league OF Larry Cobb was suspended 50 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. ... Crosby had been in a 5-for-43 funk before the double.