A's Beat Orioles 6-2 on Rooker's 3-Run Homer

Brent Rooker belted a three-run homer in the third inning, powering the Oakland Athletics to a 6-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday in Baltimore.

Aaron Civale improved to 4-1 with five scoreless innings, scattering six hits and three walks while striking out six. The Athletics bullpen followed with strong relief, as Hogan Harris, Scott Barlow and Joel Kuhnel each tossed a shutout frame. Mark Leiter Jr. took the loss after yielding Baltimore's two runs.

Oakland starter Shane Baz fell to 1-4, charged with five runs on five hits over 4 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out five before exiting following a pitch clock violation that resulted in ball four to Rooker.

Nick Kurtz extended his major-league-leading on-base streak to 33 games, collecting two doubles. He led off the first with a two-bagger and scored on Shea Langeliers' single for a 1-0 lead. Kurtz scored three times in Oakland's first five innings, adding another double in the fifth, stealing third and crossing home on Langeliers' sacrifice fly to make it 5-0.

Rooker's blast, his fifth homer this season and second in three games, capped a four-run third. Colby Thomas provided an insurance run with an RBI...