A’s Fall Apart in Oriole Win

Sammy Sosa’s 25-foot run-scoring single highlighted a wild rally by Baltimore, and the Orioles ended Barry Zito’s eight-game winning streak with a 6-2 victory over the Athletics on Monday night.

The Orioles came back with five runs in the seventh inning thanks to several misplays by the A’s, including two hit batsmen, two bases-loaded walks and a throwing error by shortstop Bobby Crosby, who ended a 35-game streak without a home run in the first inning.

The A’s lost back-to-back games for the first time since July 6 and 7 at Toronto.

Zito (11-9) retired 17 of the first 19 batters but fell apart in the seventh inning on the way to his first defeat since a 6-1 loss June 17 against Philadelphia.

With the Orioles trailing, 2-0, Chris Gomez doubled to start the inning. Melvin Mora popped out, then Miguel Tejada reached on an infield single and Javy Lopez was hit by a pitch, loading the bases.

After pitching coach Curt Young visited the mound, Sosa chopped his short dribbler and Zito stumbled as he tried to field it along the third-base line. The lefty walked Alejandro Freire to bring in the tying run moments later.

Jay Gibbons then drove in a run on a routine grounder that Crosby threw wildly past second baseman Marco Scutaro while trying to start a double play. Two runs scored on the play.