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Swisher, Haren dominant in win over Orioles

Apr 24, 2007 - 6:26 AM BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- Nick Swisher was determined to give Dan Haren some help. Haren and the Oakland Athletics needed every bit of it.

Swisher homered twice and Haren pitched seven strong innings as the Athletics downed the Baltimore Orioles, 6-5, in the opener of a two-game set.

Swisher sparked a five-run fourth inning with a two-run shot to left center off Orioles starter Erik Bedard. With the Athletics holding a 5-4 lead, he hit a solo home run in the ninth inning to give Oakland an insurance run and a 6-4 advantage.

"What Swisher did there in the ninth, that quick run for us, was huge," Oakland manager Bob Geren said. "He came up with an absolute bomb to right, that was really well hit."

Haren (2-2), who has yet to allow more than three runs or six hits in any of his five starts, allowed one run and five hits with a walk and five strikeouts. The righthander, who received just five runs of support from his offense in his first four starts, did not allow a baserunner past second base until the sixth and never faced more than five hitters in an inning.

"I battled with my command in the beginning by falling behind guys," Haren said. "I got it together in the second and third inning and was able to attack the hitters by pitching them ahead instead of behind."

Aubrey Huff hit a three-run homer off A's reliever Alan Embree before closer Huston Street came on in the ninth to nail down his fifth save in as many chances but not without some theatrics.

Street allowed the first two hitters to reach before surrendering an RBI single to Brian Roberts to trim the Oakland lead to 6-5.

"I felt fine the first two hitters," Street said. "I didn't challenge Jay (Payton) enough. That is the first mistake because you don't walk the leadoff hitter - ever."

Following Melvin Mora's failed squeeze bunt with one out, Nick Markakis was intentionally walked to load the bases for Miguel Tejada, who hit a weak grounder to second to end the game.

"I tip my hat to whoever missed the squeeze," Street said. "I don't know what happened there. Someone missed the sign or maybe Mora did it on his own, I don't know. That was probably the turning point of the inning. Obviously, (falling) behind Markakis (and then walking) him, that is a no-brainer. I had already given up two hits to two lefties that inning."

Mike Piazza and Jason Kendall had two hits apiece for Oakland, which scored more than three runs for just the eighth time in 18 games.

Bedard (3-2) lasted only 4 2/3 innings, allowing five runs and eight hits with two walks and six strikeouts. He fell to 0-2 lifetime in five career starts against the Athletics.

"He is nasty, I know that," Swisher said. "A left-handed guy throwing 95-96 miles per hour. I think maybe the biggest thing (in the fourth inning) was he was missing spots a little bit."

"Bedard is one of the best I've seen," Geren said. "I thought he pitched really good. We just had that one big inning against him, which was huge for us."

Brian Roberts hit a solo homer for Baltimore, which had its seven-game home winning streak snapped.

After relieving Bedard, Orioles righthander Scott Williamson left the game in the fifth inning after retiring just one batter due to tightness in his right tricep.