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Saunders, Young help D-Backs beat A's

Jul 3, 2011 - 6:24 AM Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Joe Saunders worked seven-plus solid innings to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 4-2 win over the Oakland Athletics in the middle test of a three-game interleague series.

Saunders (5-7) gave up two runs on eight hits. He also struck out three and walked one to earn the victory. David Hernandez worked a perfect ninth to record his third save of the season.

"I just like pitching here," Saunders said. "There's something about this ballpark that kind of fits my style."

Chris Young went 3-for-4 with a home run and drove in all four of Arizona's runs. Willie Bloomquist had two hits for the Diamondbacks, who had lost five of its pervious six games.

Scott Sizemore and Hideki Matsui each knocked in a run for Oakland.

Josh Outman (3-3) worked six innings in defeat, giving up four runs on seven hits while fanning three and walking three for the A's, who had their momentum halted after a 5-4 win over Arizona on Friday.

"I enjoy every start I get up here, and hopefully I can stick for another one," Outman said. "It's been a long time since I've lost two in a row and that's just not the type of performance I expect out of myself. I'm better than a .500 pitcher."

Arizona opened the scoring in its first at-bat. Bloomquist and Kelly Johnson stroked back-to-back singles to put two runners on base with no outs. After Justin Upton went down looking, Young slapped an RBI single to right

The D-Backs added a second run in the third when Johnson walked to lead off the inning and came around to score on a double by Young to give the Diamondbacks a 2-0 lead.

Oakland threatened in the home third, putting two runners on with two down. Saunders induced a pop-out from Coco Crisp to end the threat for the A's

Arizona expanded its lead again in the fifth on Young's two-run homer to left for his 16th of the season and a 4-0 lead.

Oakland got two runs back in the eighth. Adam Rosales walked and Jemile Weeks singled to center to put runners on first and second for Oakland. Both runners advanced on a balk by Arizona reliever Yhency Brazoban and Rosales scored on a groundout by Sizemore to pull Oakland within three, 4-1. With a runner at third and two down, Matsui lined an RBI single into right to make it a 4-2 game.

Game Notes

Arizona is 10-7 against American League opponents, while Oakland is 7-10 against National League competition...Oakland has hit only 43 home runs so far this season, which ranks last in the majors.