Athletics 5 - 2 Orioles
Final
  for this game

Orioles, Athletics open up series at Camden Yards

Apr 27, 2012 - 3:09 PM

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(Sports Network) - Right-hander Jake Arrieta makes his second career start against Oakland in search of his first win tonight when the Baltimore Orioles host the Athletics in the opener of a three-game set at Camden Yards.

The 26-year-old Missouri native lost his only meeting with Oakland after allowing three earned runs on seven hits in six innings of an 8-1 verdict on July 1, 2010.

The defeat came in Arrieta's fifth major-league appearance.

He went 6-6 in 18 starts as a rookie and jumped to 10 wins in 22 starts as a second-year player last season. In four starts thus far in 2012, Arrieta has split two decisions while allowing 20 hits and 13 runs in 24 2/3 innings.

He's 1-0 with a 2.63 in 13 2/3 innings at home.

Oakland counters with 28-year-old righty Brandon McCarthy, who makes his sixth start of the season while aiming for victory No. 1.

A California native, the former Chicago White Sox draft pick made 65 appearances with his initial team over two seasons before heading to Texas in a deal that sent pitchers Nick Masset and John Danks to Chicago.

He pitched in 55 games with the Rangers over three seasons and won 13 times before signing with Oakland as a free agent and winning a career-best nine times last season.

McCarthy had a loss and a no-decision in his first three outings this spring before dropping his last two, at Los Angeles and home to Cleveland.

He's 1-1 lifetime against Baltimore and lost his only road start so far in 2012.

On Thursday in Baltimore, Adam Jones and Chris Davis homered in a three-run eighth inning, pushing the Orioles past Toronto, 5-2, to sweep a three-game set.

Nick Markakis finished with three hits and Ryan Flaherty added an RBI for the Orioles, who have won four straight.

Darren O'Day (2-0) turned in two scoreless relief innings for the win. Starter Brian Matusz allowed four hits and a pair of unearned runs over six full frames.

On Wednesday in Oakland, Kila Ka'aihue knocked in the game-winning run as part of a three-run bottom of the 14th, leading the A's to a 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox in the finale of a three-game series.

Ahead 4-2 going into the bottom of the frame, White Sox closer Hector Santiago (0-1) got off to a good start by striking out Eric Sogard, but then gave up five consecutive hits.

Josh Reddick started the parade with a single up the middle and Yoenis Cespedes followed with a home run to left field to tie the game. Seth Smith and Kurt Suzuki then stroked back-to-back singles and Ka'aihue ended the game in walk-off fashion with a flare to left field that fell in fair territory to give Oakland the win.

"A win is a win, we'll take them however they come," Ka'aihue said. "At the end of the year they all count the same, so, it's a good team win, the guys played hard and it was awesome."

Jim Miller (1-0) recorded the final out in the top of the 14th to pick up the win for the A's, who have won three of their last four.

Cespedes went 3-for-5 with three RBI and Suzuki added three hits in the victory.

The A's won five of nine versus the Orioles, but lost all three games in Baltimore.






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