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Jul 1, 2010 - 3:47 PM By SAMANTHA PANITCH STATS Writer

Oakland (38-41) at Baltimore (24-53), 7:05 p.m. EDT

Once uncertain about his future in Oakland, Trevor Cahill has developed into the ace of the Athletics' staff.

The right-hander will take the mound looking for a seventh straight victory in a matchup with the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards on Thursday night.

Making a strong case to be selected to the All-Star team in his second season, the 22-year-old Cahill (7-2, 2.88 ERA) is 6-0 with a 2.24 ERA in eight starts. He has come a long way after beginning the season on the disabled list with a stress reaction in his right shoulder.

"A couple of months ago, I never thought I'd here," Cahill said. "It's an honor just to be considered (as an All-Star). We have plenty of guys good enough to be named."

A key for Cahill of late has been better control. He issued six walks in his last four starts after allowing eight in the previous two.

Three of those walks came in his most recent outing Saturday, but Cahill allowed two hits and struck out a career-high 10 in 7 2-3 innings of a 5-0 victory over Pittsburgh.

"If he got behind in the count, it seemed like he could just change the grip on his fastball and throw it wherever he wanted to," manager Bob Geren told the A's official website. "That's what a veteran pitcher can do - if they fall behind, they can always get back into the count. For a young guy to have that ability - he's learned a lot."

Cahill is 2-1 with a 2.84 ERA in three starts against the Orioles. He allowed a run and two hits in six innings of a 6-1 win at Camden Yards on May 26.

Cahill will try to help the A's (38-41) bounce back after their four-game winning streak was snapped with a 9-6 loss to the Orioles on Wednesday.

Baltimore (24-53) tied a season high with five home runs as it rallied from an early 6-3 deficit to win for the fifth time in six games.

Adam Jones was 3 for 5 with a home run, his eighth in June.

Baltimore will be without left fielder Luke Scott after he hurt his hamstring running out his 12th homer of the season Wednesday. Scott, 4 for 8 with three doubles and four runs in his last three games, could be headed to the disabled list.

Rookie Jake Arrieta (2-1, 6.20) will try to bounce back from two straight rough starts Thursday.

After winning his first two career starts with a 2.77 ERA, the right-hander has gone 0-1 with a 12.27 ERA in two outings. He gave up six runs over 4 1-3 innings Friday in a 7-6 win over Washington.

"I just really had a tough time avoiding that big hit," Arrieta told the team's official website. "And I have to work toward that."

He will have to be cautious with Coco Crisp, who is 11 for 27 in seven games since coming off of the disabled list. The center fielder hit a three-run homer Wednesday.