BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : Abbott Gets Rid of the 0

Pitcher Jim Abbott avoided the worst start of his eight-year career Thursday, ending a four-game losing streak with a 7 1/3-inning, six-hit, six-strikeout effort in a 3-1 victory over Oakland.

“No one likes seeing 0-and-something next to your record, but sometimes you have to distance yourself from those things,” said Abbott, who pitched well but lost his last start in Chicago. “You look for quality starts, and to give your team a chance to win, and you don’t worry so much about stats.”

Abbott created his only real jam in the sixth, issuing two-out walks to Scott Brosius and Mark McGwire and hitting Terry Steinbach with a pitch. But Geronimo Berroa’s liner went right to left fielder Garret Anderson, who gloved it to end the inning.

After yielding a one-out double to Brosius in the eighth, Abbott was replaced by setup man Mike James, who struck out Torey Lovullo and got Steinbach to ground out.

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Second baseman Randy Velarde, suffering from severe infections in both ears, sat out his second consecutive game.