A’s Have Something to Cheer About, 6-5

The music was loud and the players were smiling. After nine days of gloom, the Oakland Athletics had something to celebrate again.

Matt Stairs hit a two-run homer and Kenny Rogers got his 11th win as the Athletics defeated the Boston Red Sox 6-5 Thursday to snap a nine-game losing streak that tied the club’s longest skid since 1978.

“The last nine days have been miserable,” Stairs said. “I kind of forgot where to go after we won. It was nice to meet at the pitcher’s mound today and high-five everyone.”

Deafening rap music pulsed in the Oakland locker room. The night before, after the A’s lost their ninth straight, the clubhouse was eerily quiet.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been able to sit here and talk about a win,” A’s manager Art Howe said. “We certainly haven’t been celebrating. It’s nice to be able to do that again.”