• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Orioles hit 5 HRs in 9-6 win over Athletics

Jul 1, 2010 - 3:45 AM By DAVID GINSBURG AP Sports Writer

BALTIMORE(AP) -- Another comeback victory by the Baltimore Orioles was tempered by a sobering sight: Luke Scott hobbling across the clubhouse on crutches.

Scott hurt his left hamstring while, of all things, running out a home run. The seventh-inning drive put the Orioles ahead for good in a 9-6 win over the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday night.

The injury occurred while Scott was rounding first base, still uncertain if the ball he hit off Cedrick Bowers (0-1) would reach the seats.

"I think I kind of pulled my hamstring. When I hit the ball I knew I hit it good, but I hit it kind of high," Scott said. "I couldn't tell if it was going to go over."

He suspected the injury would probably land him on the 15-day disabled list.

"I am glad the ball went out," Scott said. "But this is frustrating."

The home run was one of five by Baltimore, tying a season high. It occurred immediately after Ty Wigginton hit the first homer by an Orioles first baseman this season, a two-run shot off Brad Ziegler that tied the game at 6.

Baltimore went 76 games without a homer from a first baseman, the fourth-longest streak to start a season in major leagues since 1961.

"The curse is gone. That was his first reaction," Orioles manager Juan Samuel said of Wigginton.

It was Wigginton's 14th of the season, the first since May 22.

"I couldn't honestly remember the last time he even hit one," teammate Adam Jones said.

Jones, Corey Patterson and Miguel Tejada also homered for the Orioles, who have won five of six. In all five wins, Baltimore trailed by at least three runs.

"It's nice that we fought back and found a way to get back in the ball game," Wigginton said. "I think you're starting to see a lot of character on this team."

Baltimore trailed 6-3 before Patterson hit a solo shot in the fourth. After Wigginton and Scott went deep in the seventh, Tejada added a two-run shot off Tyson Ross in the eighth.

Matt Albers (3-3) pitched one inning of scoreless relief and Alfredo Simon worked the ninth for his 10th save.

Coco Crisp homered and Mark Ellis had three hits for the A's, whose four-game winning streak ended. Oakland went 10-17 in June; the last time A's lost more than 16 games in June was in 1986 (7-22).

"It's real frustrating for us," Ellis said. "We put runs on the board. Coco got a big home run for us. Then they got them back. When we score runs, we usually win games."

Oakland trailed 3-0 before batting around in a six-run fourth against Kevin Millwood, making his 400th career appearance. The highlights included Mark Ellis scoring on the front end of an attempted double steal, an RBI single by Gabe Gross and Crisp's three-run homer to left.

Ellis was at third and Gross at first when Cliff Pennington took a half-swing at a 3-2 pitch with the runners going. Catcher Matt Wieters threw to second, but the pitch was ruled ball four and Ellis came home on what the official scorer ruled a fielder's choice.

Millwood needed 42 pitches to get through an inning in which Tejada and Patterson made errors and Oakland got only four hits.

Baltimore went up 2-0 in the second when Scott led off with a walk and Jones hit an opposite-field drive over the 25-foot scoreboard in right.

Although the box score won't show it, Crisp made an outstanding leaping catch at the wall in center on a drive by Patterson in the second inning. Crisp hit his head on the padding, fell to the warning track and stayed there for several minutes.

The play did not count because Patterson was awarded first base on catcher's interference. If the ball dropped in, however, it would have counted.

"Coco Crisp is amazing. I had heard he was amazing, but to watch him is unbelievable," Oakland starter Ben Sheets said.

In the third, Jones doubled in Scott, who walked and took second on a passed ball.

NOTES: Jones homered, doubled and singled in his first three at-bats. Needing a triple for the cycle, he struck out and lined out. ... Oakland has been denied a fifth straight victory three times this season. ... The five HRs allowed tied the A's season high. ... For the first time in eight starts, Millwood got out of the first inning without giving up a run.