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May 27, 2010 - 4:12 AM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

Oakland (23-23) at Baltimore (15-31), 7:05 p.m. EDT

A seven-game homerless drought is now behind the Oakland Athletics. Their string of road series losses, though, remains intact.

The Athletics haven't won a series away from home since their first one of the season, a drought they can end Thursday night when they conclude a three-game set with the lowly Baltimore Orioles.

Adam Rosales hit a three-run shot Wednesday night for Oakland's first homer in eight games, and the Athletics (24-23) evened this series with a 6-1 win. Rosales ended Oakland's longest stretch without a home run in 27 years, helping snap the team's six-game road losing streak.

The A's were held to six runs during that skid. They haven't won a road series since taking two of three games from the Angels from April 9-11.

Oakland is 18-9 at home and 6-14 on the road, matching Baltimore (15-32), Seattle and the Mets for the fewest road wins in the majors.

"It is just a little different because the numbers don't add up. We haven't played the same number of games yet at home and on the road," manager Bob Geren said. "We have the same effort, the same preparation, the same guys playing."

The A's, though, have won four of five overall and 17 of their last 21 at Camden Yards.

Rosales is batting .350 (7 for 20) in six career games against the Orioles. His four RBIs on Wednesday matched a career high.

Oakland center fielder Rajai Davis helped out with three hits and a career-high three steals.

Davis has been alternating with Cliff Pennington at the top of the lineup. Coco Crisp was slated to fill that role after signing as a free agent in the offseason, but he was put on the 15-day disabled list for the second time this year Wednesday.

Crisp was out all season with a fractured pinky before being activated Friday, going 2 for 6 before straining a muscle in his chest.

The A's haven't needed much production from their lineup over the last five games, with their staff posting a 1.23 ERA.

Gio Gonzalez (5-3, 3.46 ERA), set to take the mound for Oakland, has won two straight starts and was particularly strong in the last one, surrendering two hits in eight innings of a 1-0 victory over San Francisco on Saturday. The left-hander struck out five, walked one and retired his final 20 batters in a 95-pitch gem.

Gonzalez won his only start against the Orioles, striking out five in six shutout innings of a 9-1 victory Aug. 10.

Baltimore will counter with Brad Bergesen (3-3, 6.10), coming off one of his worst starts of the season despite not taking the loss. He gave up six runs and 11 hits in five innings of a 7-6 defeat to Washington on Saturday.

The 24-year-old right-hander went to high school in Pleasanton, Calif., approximately 25 miles east of Oakland. This is his first start against the A's.

The Orioles have lost four of six at home after winning six of seven.

After being held to three hits, Baltimore hopes Luke Scott (strained shoulder) can return after missing the last two games. He's hitting .354 with seven homers and 13 RBIs in 17 games this month.