Document text
--> --> Mulder, A's shut down Orioles BALTIMORE (AP) - Mark Mulder began the game by allowing the Baltimore Orioles to score more runs than they had in their previous 27 innings. After that, he and the Oakland Athletics returned to form. Mulder gave up four hits in eight innings and Ramon Hernandez and Jason Giambi homered as Oakland beat the Orioles 6-2 Tuesday night. The A's third straight victory, combined with Boston's 8-3 loss to Cleveland, stretched Oakland's lead over the Red Sox in the AL wild card race to four games. Mulder (16-7) gave up two first-inning runs before getting an out, then used a double play and a strikeout to avoid further damage. He yielded a leadoff single in the second inning, but that was Baltimore's final hit against the left-hander. "We had a chance to really get at him but couldn't do it," Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said. "Then he settled down and pitched very well, from the third inning on." The two runs were one more than Baltimore scored in dropping a three-game series to Toronto. The Orioles have tallied three runs in their last four games, scoring in only two of 36 innings. Mulder struck out four and walked three to improve to 8-1 since July 1. His 16 wins are second-most in the league behind Roger Clemens' 17. After the first inning, though, it appeared that he was in for a long night. "They came out swinging at everything. It was kind of like, `What's going on?"' Mulder said. "It kind of surprised me. I adjusted from there, made some changes and pitched better." Mulder was removed after eight innings and 93 pitches, just three outs short of his league-high sixth complete game. "I was getting tired," he said. "I was missing a little bit and my arm started dropping. I was fine coming out of the game there." Hernandez and Giambi both hit two-run homers off Sidney Ponson in a four-run fourth inning that put Oakland up 6-2. It was Giambi's 32nd home run, the second in two games. "I think he was trying to come in with a fastball and just left to over the plate," Giambi said. "I ended up getting a mistake, and you can't miss it." Hargrove said Ponson developed stiffness in his forearm early in the fourth inning, and the manager blamed the poor pitch to Giambi on the injury. Ponson (5-10) allowed six runs and eight hits in four innings. He's 0-5 with a 6.31 ERA in 10 starts since June 28. But Giambi, despite his lifetime 8-for-16 numbers against Ponson, said the right-hander has the potential for greatness. "He's got a great young arm," Giambi said. "One of these days he's going to be unbelievable in this game. When he figures it out and puts it all together, he going to be one of those guys up there with Pedro (Martinez) and guys like that." For a third straight start, Ponson left the clubhouse without talking to the media. Giambi went 2-for-2 with three walks and Johnny Damon had two hits, two steals and an RBI as the A's won their fifth straight on the road. Oakland's 32-13 record since the All-Star break is best in the majors. Jeff Conine drove in two runs for the Orioles, who have lost four straight and six of seven to fall a season-worst 23 games under .500 (54-77). The Orioles loaded the bases with no outs in the first before Conine hit a two-run single. Mulder then got Cal Ripken to hit into a double play and struck out Tony Batista. Oakland used RBI singles by Damon and Jermaine Dye to tie it in the third. Devil Rays 6, Mariners 0 Paul Wilson threw seven impressive innings, and Tampa Bay handed Seattle an improbable defeat, ending their eight-game losing streak against the Mariners. Rookie Toby Hall had a career-high three hits and Chris Gomez hit an inside-the-park homer. Wilson (6-8) allowed six hits and tied a season high with seven strikeouts. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing