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Oakland holds off Arizona

Jul 2, 2011 - 6:23 AM Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Hideki Matsui hit a two-run double to cap a four-run fifth inning and Rich Harden was triumphant in his return, as the Oakland Athletics held on for a 5-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks to open a three-game set.

Harden (1-0) was signed by the team in the offseason for his second stint with the club, but began the season on the 60-day disabled list due with a strained right shoulder. He was activated prior to the game after a couple of rehab starts and he got the win after giving up just two runs on four hits with six strikeouts over six innings.

"He didn't have his best command out there but he did get through six innings," said Oakland manager Bob Melvin about Harden. "We were able to back him with some runs and get him and the team a win. It was a good start for him."

Cliff Pennington and Coco Crisp each drove in a run and scored once while Ryan Sweeney added two hits and an RBI for the Athletics, who had dropped three of four coming into the game. Crisp also took a home run away from Gerardo Parra leading off the sixth inning.

Kelly Johnson hit a two-run home run and scored twice while Wily Mo Pena hit a solo home run for the Diamondbacks, who have lost five of six. Josh Collmenter (4-5) dropped his fourth straight start as he was tagged for all five runs on seven hits with a pair of walks and five strikeouts over just 4 2/3 innings.

Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson was upset that his team struck out 10 times.

"You can't just keep pulling up changeups in the dirt," he said. "You have to make adjustments and we have to do a better job of that. We've struggled lately."

Arizona got the initial lead of the game on Pena's homer in the second, but the Athletics tied the game in the fourth when Matsui walked, stole second and crossed the plate on a single from Sweeney. It was Matsui's first steal since 2007 when he played for the Yankees.

The bottom of the fifth saw the Athletics plate four runs for the lead. With one out, David DeJesus singled and Scott Sizemore followed with a base hit to right. After Jemile Weeks flied out, Pennington and Crisp hit consecutive RBI singles and Matsui brought home two more with a double to right for a 5-1 lead.

The Diamondbacks got one back in the sixth as Johnson hit a double, moved to third on a wild pitch and easily came home on a Stephen Drew single to right.

With Brian Fuentes on the mound in the eighth, Johnson blasted a two-run shot over the right field wall. His 14th home run of the season made it a one-run game, but Joey Devine took the mound and got the final two outs to end the frame.

Andrew Bailey worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his seventh save of the season.

Game Notes

Arizona took two of three in Oakland when these teams last met in 2009...Along with activating Harden, the Athletics recalled pitcher Fautino De Los Santos from Triple-A Sacramento, optioned pitcher Trystan Magnuson to Sacramento and designated pitcher Bobby Cramer for assignment...Oakland batted 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position, but did strand eight men on base.