Athletics 5 - 2 Orioles
Final
  for this game

Sogard helps A's down O's

Apr 28, 2012 - 6:14 AM

Video

Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Eric Sogard hit a two-run home run, while Brandon McCarthy earned his first victory of the season as the Athletics took a 5-2 decision over the Orioles in the opener of a three-game set at Camden Yards on Friday.

McCarthy (1-3) allowed just two runs on five hits and three walks over seven innings in the start. Ryan Cook struck out four Orioles in the eighth after Adam Jones reached on a wild pitch and Grant Balfour worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth to earn his sixth save of the season.

Josh Reddick hit a solo homer and drove in two, while Kurt Suzuki knocked in a run and scored once for Oakland, which has won three straight.

Jake Arrieta (1-2) was touched for four runs on four hits and two walks over his 5 2/3 innings in his start for Baltimore. Jones and Nick Markakis each had an RBI in the loss as Baltimore saw its four-game win streak come to an end.

"He gave us a chance to win tonight," said Baltimore manager Buck Showalter about Arrieta. "It wasn't as good as he's capable of, but we score a few more runs and see if he can get in a rhythm."

Baltimore manufactured a run in the home half of the first when Nolan Reimold ripped a leadoff double and came around to score on consecutive fly balls from J.J. Hardy and Markakis.

Oakland struck for three runs in the second -- all with two outs. Kila Ka'aihue worked a one-out walk and Suzuki stroked an RBI double around a Seth Smith strike out before Sogard followed with a blast to right field, giving the Orioles a 3-1 edge.

"That's huge, answering right back, especially with two outs like that," said Sogard of his two-run blast. "We fed off that, kept going and McCarthy did too and did very well."

Oakland pushed the margin to 4-1 in the sixth as Reddick launched a one-out homer to center field for his third of the season.

Baltimore answered in the bottom half when Hardy ripped a one-out double before scoring on Jones' single to right-field two batters later to pull the O's within 4-2.

The A's tacked on some insurance in the eighth as Coco Crisp worked a two-out walk and swiped second after Matt Lindstrom replaced Troy Patton. Reddick then plated Crisp with a single to center field to account for the final margin.

Game Notes

The A's began their second road trip of the season on Friday, a nine-game, 10- day trip to Baltimore (three games), Boston (three games) and Tampa Bay (three games)...Saturday's matchup features righty Tyson Ross for the A's against southpaw Wei-Yin Chen for the Orioles...Baltimore left seven on base and went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position.






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