7 Walks Give A’s a Pass, 7-4

Kenny Rogers won his fourth consecutive start and the Oakland Athletics took advantage of Pat Hentgen’s wildness to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays, 7-4, Monday night.

Jason Giambi and Scott Spiezio each drove in two runs in support of Rogers (5-1). Rogers gave up four runs and six hits in seven-plus innings.

Hentgen (3-3) walked seven batters in only three-plus innings. He gave up four hits and four runs.

Hentgen had walked a total of eight batters in his previous six starts this season and had not walked more than three in any game.

The A’s jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on Giambi’s bases-loaded, two-run single. Hentgen walked three in the inning.

Hentgen got into trouble again in the third inning, walking Kurt Abbott with the bases loaded.

Hentgen began the fourth by walking Rickey Henderson, who stole second and scored on Dave Magadan’s double to center. Spiezio added a two-run double and Abbott had a run-scoring single in the sixth inning off Toronto reliever Chris Carpenter.

Tony Fernandez hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot, in the third inning off Rogers. Alex Gonzalez added a run batted in single in the fifth to make the score, 4-2.

Ed Sprague hit his fourth home run, the 100th of his career, in the seventh for Toronto. Mike Stanley added a run-scoring single in the eighth.