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Jackson helps A's edge Rays

Jul 26, 2011 - 7:19 AM Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Conor Jackson hit the go-ahead two-run double in the seventh inning, boosting Oakland to a 7-5 win over Tampa Bay to begin a four-game series.

Coco Crisp added an insurance RBI double in the eighth for the Athletics, who bounced back from losing two of three games to the Yankees over the weekend.

Guillermo Moscoso gave up eight hits and five runs over five-plus innings before the A's came to the rescue by rallying from a 5-2 deficit. Michael Wuertz, Brian Fuentes (2-8), Grant Balfour and Andrew Bailey combined to shut down the Rays the rest of the way. Bailey escaped a jam in the ninth to get his 12th save.

Cliff Pennington smacked a two-run homer in the second inning for the A's.

"It can be contagious when you're not swinging well and it can be contagious when you're swinging well," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "If you get one or two guys going, sometimes guys follow suit."

Ben Zobrist and Kelly Shoppach homered for the Rays, who lost for the seventh time in 10 contests.

Jeremy Hellickson was charged with four hits and three runs in the start for Tampa Bay. J.P. Howell (2-2) suffered the loss.

Shoppach homered leading off the sixth inning, which was the final batter Moscoso faced.

Scott Sizemore lifted a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the frame and the A's went ahead the following inning. David DeJesus singled in Hideki Matsui. Joel Peralta then relieved Howell, but Jackson doubled to left field to drive in DeJesus and Willingham, who was on base with a walk.

"We have to close these games out," said Howell. "We just have to keep on trucking and try not to dig too deep a hole for us. We can get this back together if we all work at it."

Crisp doubled to left-center field in the eighth to score Pennington.

Bailey gave up a double to Zobrist and walked Evan Longoria with two down in the ninth, but fanned Matt Joyce to end the game.

Zobrist homered to right in the opening inning, but Pennington went deep in the second.

Sean Rodriguez came home on a Desmond Jennings double in the third and the Rays went ahead in the fifth inning. Joyce's fielder's choice plated Johnny Damon. Joyce then scored on B.J. Upton's triple to center.

Game Notes

The A's have hit two home runs or fewer in each of their last 73 games, which is the longest streak since an 86-game run from July 5, 1978 - April 10, 1979...The Athletics came to terms with first-round draft choice Sonny Gray on Monday. Gray, a right-handed pitcher out of Vanderbilt University, was the 18th overall selection in the 2011 draft...Oakland reinstated pitcher Tyson Ross from the 15-day disabled list and optioned him to Triple-A Sacramento...The A's are 77-46 against Tampa Bay. That includes a 44-18 mark in Oakland...Zobrist had three hits, but the Rays went 1-for-13 with men in scoring position.