American League Roundup : Two Losing Streaks End: A’s at 7 and Red Sox at 5

The Oakland A’s broke their seven-game losing streak the hard way Thursday with a pair of runs after two were out in the ninth inning.

“That should make us come alive,” said Alfredo Griffin, whose run-scoring single gave the A’s a 5-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Oakland.

“Four hits in a row--there couldn’t be any worse way to lose,” Brewer Manager George Bamberger said. “That game could put a man in his grave.”

Donnie Hill got the A’s third hit in the ninth, a single that tied the score.

“There was a lot of excitement out there,” Hill said. “It was like a World Series game. We needed something like this after losing so much.”

The rally began off Rollie Fingers, major league baseball’s all-time leader in saves. Bamberger took Fingers out of the game after Bruce Bochte singled, bringing in left-hander Ray Searage to face left-handed hitter Mike Davis.

“In the middle of the year, I might not have taken Rollie out,” Bamberger said. “Right now, I wish I’d have left him in.”

After Jim Kern had pitched three hitless innings in his first appearance of the season, the Brewers sent Fingers out to preserve a 4-3 lead. He retired the first two batters before Bochte singled.

Searage (0-3) took over, pinch-runner Dan Meyer took second on a single by Davis, then Hill’s single to right scored Meyer before Griffin blooped his game-winning single to center field. The victory went to Keith Atherton (2-2).

Boston 2, Seattle 1--Rich Gedman hit his second home run of the season, and three Red Sox pitchers combined on a five-hitter at Seattle as Boston snapped its five-game losing streak and the Mariners’ three-game winning streak.

Al Nipper (1-1), who came off the disabled list April 15 after overcoming a stomach ulcer, took a three-hit shutout into the eighth. He yielded a leadoff double to Barry Bonnell. Bonnell went to third on Jack Perconte’s fly to right and scored on Phil Bradley’s sacrifice fly.

Bob Ojeda retired Alvin Davis, and Bob Stanley then came on to pitch the ninth and pick up his fourth save.