Oakland Athletics starting pitcher JP Sears (38) looks on after surrendering a solo home run to Baltimore Orioles’ Adley Rutschman during the third inning at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Mon Apr 10, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s met the Baltimore Orioles Monday night at Camden Yards in Baltimore and extended their losing streak to five games bowing to the Orioles 5-1. The A’s hoped to play better after being swept by the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays outscored Oakland 31-5 in that series.

Oakland needed to get back in the win column. A’s manager Mark Kotsay hoped the A’s could turn things around. That did not happen. The Orioles, a team that turned things around in 2022, showed why they are among the better teams in the tough AL East Division. In his six and 1/3rd innings of work, the Orioles’ starter Kyle Gibson allowed five hits and one run. The Orioles beat the A’s 5-1.

The A’s grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. With one out, Ryan Noda walked. With Aledmys Diaz at bat, Gibson saw Noda with a big lead. With a quick throw to first, Gibson picked off Noda for the second out of the inning. Diaz then walked.

A’s right fielder Ramon Laureano tripled off the right field wall to drive in Diaz with the game’s first run. The lead didn’t last long. In the Orioles half of the first, the Orioles scored two runs to take the lead 2-1. Cedric Mullins walked to get things going for Baltimore.

With one out, Mullins stole second. Mullins went to third on A’s catcher Shea Langeliers’ throwing error. Orioles’ first baseman Ryan Mountcastle homered to left center to put the Orioles ahead. The A’s didn’t know it, but they were done scoring for the night.

In the bottom of the third, The Orioles’ outstanding young catcher Adley Rutschman homered to put the Orioles ahead 3-1. 

The Orioles put another run on the board in the sixth. Jeurys Familia was now pitching for Oakland. Familia retired the first two hitters. He didn’t get by Austin Hays. Hays sent Familia’s pitch over the wall in center field. 

Baltimore added another run in the eighth inning. With Dominga Acevedo pitching for Oakland, Hays doubled. Ramon Urias singled to drive in Hays with the Orioles’ fifth and final run of the game. The Orioles win 5-1.

Game Notes: With the loss, the A’s are now 2-8 for the young season. They have lost five in a row. The Orioles improved to 5-5.

The line score for Oakland was one run, eight hits, and one error.

Baltimore’s line was five runs, six hits, and no errors. The O’s hit three home runs.

J.P. Sears was the losing pitcher. Sears is 0-1. He went five innings and allowed three runs and three hits. Two of the three hits were home runs. 

Kyle Gibson improved to 3-0.

The A’s used five pitchers. Sears, Famila, Sam Moll, Zach Jackson, and Acevedo. 

The A’s play the second game of the four-game series with the Orioles on Tuesday. Lefty Kyle Muller ( 0-0, 2.53 ERA) will go for Oakland. The Orioles will counter with Grayson Rodriguez (0-0, 3.60 ERA). The game will start at 3:35 pm.