Candiotti Fixes Flaw, Defeats Orioles, 12-4

The Baltimore Orioles were in the process of taking a 4-0 lead in the first inning and Oakland Manager Art Howe had no choice but to cling to one very optimistic thought.

“I figured it could only get better,” he said.

Fortunately for the A’s, that’s exactly what happened Sunday. Oakland starter Tom Candiotti used a tip from his pitching coach to correct a flaw in his delivery and stymied the Orioles over the next six innings in a 12-4 victory.

Rickey Henderson hit his second career grand slam and Jason Giambi drove in three runs for the A’s, who won two of three from Baltimore after coming to Camden Yards as the only team in the majors without a road victory.

“You’ve got to feel good about it,” Howe said. “Not too many teams come in here and win two out of three.”

Candiotti (2-3) gave up five hits in seven innings for his second win in a row. The knuckleballer gave up hits to the first four batters he faced, but Baltimore’s only hit after that was a double by Rafael Palmeiro in the second.

Candiotti gave up only one walk to his last 16 batters, and that runner was wiped on a double play. He credited his turnaround to advice he got from pitching coach Rick Peterson after the first inning.

“He just told me to get out over my front leg,” Candiotti said. “I tried it in warmups and it felt good. It felt like it got me right back in sync.”

Oakland went ahead for good with a five-run third against Doug Drabek (1-4). Henderson’s slam, his first since July 1991, came off Alan Mills in the seventh and gave the A’s a 12-4 lead. It was his first homer since he rejoined Oakland for a third time in January.

Baltimore has lost eight of 11, giving up an average of 7.9 runs in that span. After winning their first four series of the season, the Orioles have lost four series in a row for the first time since July 31-Aug. 16, 1995.

NEXT SERIES FOR ANGELS

WHO: Baltimore Orioles

WHERE: at Baltimore

WHEN: Today, 4 p.m.

Tuesday 4:30 p.m.