O's lefty Brian Matusz struggled for the third time in his last four starts as the Oakland A's beat the Birds 6-1 Wednesday night to even the series at a win each. Matusz allowed six runs and eight hits over five innings to fall to 2-5, 5.76. He gave up four runs in the first inning, three on an Adam Rosales homer. He had retired 10 in a row before giving up three straight hits to begin the sixth. Matusz has allowed 13 ER over 7 1/3 innings over his last two starts. In the last four starts, he has pitched 18 innings, giving up 32 hits and 19 runs, all earned, for an ERA of 9.50 over that stretch.
Rosales went three for four with 4 RBI to tie his career high as Oakland improved to 6-14 on the road. The A's are 17-4 in their last 21 games at Camden Yards. Garrett Atkins hit a solo homer in the third off winning pitcher Trevor Cahill for the only O's run. It was his first homer of the year and ended a stretch of 145 homerless at bats, one shy of his career worst mark. Adam Jones went 1 for 4 with an infield single to extend his career-best batting streak to 12 games, during which he is hitting .311. Nick Markakis went 0 for 4 as his eight-game hitting streak ended. The Orioles were held to three hits and fall to 15-32. In the series finale, Thursday at 7:05, Brad Bergesen (3-3, 6.10) faces Gio Gonzalez (5-3, 3.46).