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Cust, Haren help A's hold off Orioles

Jul 22, 2007 - 5:10 AM OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Jack Cust provided Dan Haren with just enough offense.

Cust homered and Haren tossed 6 2/3 solid innings as the Oakland Athletics defeated the Baltimore Orioles, 4-3, on Saturday night.

The slumping Athletics entered a season-low six games under .500, having lost 10 of their last 11, and trailing the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the American League West by 11 1/2 games.

"I'm real happy with the performance all the way around," Oakland manager Bob Geren said. "There was a lot of outstanding things by our team (Saturday), and I'm real happy with the way we played. Pitching defense, moving guys over, there were a variety of things we did well."

It was Oakland's largest deficit following the All-Star break since it finished the 1998 season 14 games out of first place. The A's are 10 1/2 back after the Angels lost at Minnesota on Saturday.

Haren, who entered with an AL low 2.33 ERA, allowed three runs and seven hits with two seven strikeouts and two walks. A starter in this year's All-Star Game, the righthander (11-3) had gone 0-1 with a 3.65 mark in his last two starts and received just four total runs of support.

"I went out there in the second inning and told myself to start fresh," Haren said. "I was thinking to myself that if I put up five or six zeros we're probably going to win the game. I just tried to move on from that."

The A's held a 3-2 advantage when Cust opened the fifth by depositing an 0-1 offering from starter Steve Trachsel (5-7) over the left-center wall. Since being called up from Class AAA Sacramento on May 4, the right fielder has hit 17 homers.

"Another big hit by Jack Cust," Geren said. "A home run opposite field, that was impressive. When you put him in right field, he does a good job for us."

"It's amazing how (Cust) has come on as a big league hitter," Oakland's Mike Piazza said. "He has great command of the strike zone. Hopefully we can get some synergy going and build on this win."

Oakland reliever Santiago Casilla took over for Haren with two outs in the seventh and worked a scoreless eighth before closer Alan Embree shut the door in the ninth for his 10th save.

Trachsel gave up four runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings while striking out three and walking three. The veteran righthander was activated off the disabled list with a strained gluteus muscle on Friday.

Trachsel struggled in his last start prior to going on the DL on June 30, surrendering five runs in just 1 2/3 frames against Anaheim.

"I felt pretty good out there," Trachsel said. "I was pretty much on. I made one mistake to Cust and that was the difference. That solo home run was what cost me."

Baltimore opened the scoring early against Haren with one out. Corey Patterson singled and Nick Markakis walked before they pulled off a double steal. Kevin Millar then belted a two-run double to left-center for a 2-0 edge.

"It's the same thing, a hit here or a hit there," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "We had opportunities to get the big hit with two outs, and couldn't do it. That's the way it goes sometimes."

Oakland answered back in the bottom of the frame as Piazza hit a bases-loaded RBI single and Mark Ellis scored on Eric Chavez's double-play ball to tie the game at 2-2.