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A's earn series split by besting Tigers

Apr 18, 2011 - 3:40 AM Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Josh Willingham had a two-run single to help back eight strong innings from Trevor Cahill, as the Oakland Athletics earned a 5-1 win over the Detroit Tigers in the finale of a four-game set.

Conor Jackson, Hideki Matsui and Cliff Pennington also knocked in a run apiece for Oakland, which earned a split in the series and has won three of its last five overall. Mark Ellis had a pair of doubles and scored a run in the victory.

Cahill (2-0) was stellar in his outing, allowing one run on four hits and striking out nine without issuing a walk.

"Great job by Trevor today," Oakland manager Bob Geren said. "He definitely answered the challenge, going eight innings and throwing 112 pitches."

Casper Wells accounted for the only offense with a homer for the Tigers, who have dropped two in a row after winning the previous four.

Brad Penny (0-2) suffered the loss after yielding five runs on four hits, with four walks in five-plus innings of work. The veteran right-hander struck out five.

Oakland manufactured a run in the fourth to open the scoring. Daric Barton drew a leadoff walk and went to third on a single by Jackson. After Willingham struck out, Matsui's groundout plated Barton.

The Athletics then tacked on three more in the fifth. Landon Powell led off with a double and the next two batters were retired before David DeJesus was hit by a pitch and Barton walked. A free pass to Jackson forced in a run and Willingham followed with a two-run single through the left side for a 4-0 game.

Wells' homer leading off the sixth got the Tigers on the board, but Oakland got the run back in the home half on Pennington's sacrifice fly.

Cahill stranded a runner in the seventh, worked around a leadoff single in the eighth and was lifted after throwing 112 pitches -- 80 for strikes -- in favor of Tyson Ross in the ninth.

The young right-hander gave up a leadoff single to Austin Jackson before settling down to strikeout Brennan Boesch and Miguel Cabrera. Ryan Raburn then flied out to left to end the game.

"We should have found a way to get a win these last couple of days," Tigers catcher Alex Avila said.

Game Notes

These two teams split six meetings last season...Cahill improved to 2-1 in four career appearances against the Tigers...Oakland stranded seven runners on base, while Detroit left four.