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Orioles hand A's seventh straight loss

Jun 7, 2011 - 5:41 AM Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Matt Wieters collected two hits, an RBI and a run scored to lead the Baltimore Orioles to a 4-2 win over the Oakland Athletics at Camden Yards.

Robert Andino and J.J. Hardy added two hits apiece while Vladimir Guerrero and Nick Markakis chipped in with a hit and an RBI each to help the Orioles bounce back after a 7-4 loss to Toronto on Sunday.

Brian Matusz (1-0) threw 5 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on seven hits while walking two and fanning three to pick up his first win of 2011.

Kevin Gregg pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his 11th save of the year for Baltimore.

"I thought overall, this was probably one of our better wins all year. We got some runs across, got some big hits and we ended up winning. When it comes down to it, that's what we want to do," said Markakis.

Adam Rosales had two hits, including his first home run of the year, and Conor Jackson contributed two hits for the Athletics, who saw their losing streak expand to seven games.

Gio Gonzalez (5-4) worked seven innings in defeat, giving up four runs -- three earned -- on nine hits while striking out three and walking one.

Baltimore struck first and took the lead for good in its first at-bat. Andino led off with a single to right and Markakis reached on an error by Cliff Pennington to give the Orioles runners on first and second with no outs. Andino advanced to third on a double-play groundout by Adam Jones and was knocked in on a Guerrero single to left to give Baltimore an early 1-0 lead.

The Orioles expanded their lead with three runs in the second. Derrek Lee led off the inning with a single to center, stole second and advanced to third an a throwing error by Kurt Suzuki. Lee scored on a looping single to center by Wieters.

The inning continued with a Hardy single and a Mark Reynolds walk to load the bags with no outs. Wieters scored on a Nolan Reimold sacrifice fly and Hardy scored on a single to left by Markakis to push Baltimore's lead to a comfortable 4-0 margin.

Oakland threatened in the third, putting two runners on base with two down, but Matusz battled back to induce a flyout from Josh Willingham to end the inning for the A's.

Oakland cut the lead in half in the fourth on Rosales' two-run home run, but were held scoreless the remainder of the game by Matusz and a solid Orioles bullpen contingent of Jim Johnson, Koji Uehara and Gregg.

"The homer got us back in the game. I like the energy he brings to the team and obviously the talent and skills he has also," Athletics manager Bob Geren said about Rosales.

Game Notes

The Orioles are 17-16 at home this season...Oakland is 0-5 during the month of June and 7-14 in opening games of series this season...The Orioles are 22-17 in series openers since Buck Showalter became manager back in August of 2010...Oakland leads the season series 3-1...Baltimore is 6-7 against AL West opponents, Oakland is 5-10 against AL East competition.