OAKLAND, Calif. - Nate McLouth's patience as Baltimore's leadoff hitter is paying off nicely so far.
The rest of the Orioles lineup isn't doing too bad, either.
McLouth reached base four times and scored twice to extend his recent hot streak, Nick Markakis drove in two runs, and Baltimore opened its longest road trip of the season by routing the Oakland Athletics 10-2 on Thursday night.
McLouth singled, doubled, walked and reached on a fielder's choice in six at-bats. The Orioles leadoff hitter drove in two runs and is batting .444 (8-for-18) over his past six games.
"I'm swinging at good pitches, that's what I'm most happy about," McLouth said. "I'm working the count and swinging at the pitches I want instead of having to swing at what a pitcher wants."
Chris Davis homered and had two RBIs, Adam Jones added three hits and Jason Hammel pitched six strong innings to help the Orioles win for just the fourth time in their last 20 games at the Coliseum.
Baltimore had a season-high 15 hits, with all nine starters getting at least one. Six players drove in runs.
Hammel, the Orioles' Opening Day starter, settled into an efficient groove after the second, retiring nine of 10 at one point. He also worked out of a two-on, one-out jam in the sixth by getting Moss to foul out before Chris Young flew out to centre.
Troy Patton pitched two innings and T.J. McFarland worked the ninth to complete the six-hitter.
"(Hammel) made some big pitches with his curveball," Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said. "At this stage in his career, when he gets mad or frustrated he's able to channel it in the right direction."
Josh Donaldson doubled in two runs for the Athletics, who have dropped six of seven.
Baltimore's offence helped overcome an uneven night by the defence. The Orioles turned three double plays but also committed two errors which led to both of Oakland's runs in the first inning.
Shortstop J.J. Hardy bobbled Brandon Moss' grounder. After Josh Reddick walked, Donaldson hit a deep drive that glanced off the glove of retreating centre fielder Jones for a two-run double. Jones had initially broke in on the ball before trying to hustle back.
Third baseman Manny Machado's two-out throwing error kept the inning alive but Hammel retired Coco Crisp to end the frame.
Hammel (3-1) was otherwise stellar while giving up three hits and two walks with two strikeouts.
Baltimore took the lead with a three-run third.
Nolan Reimould doubled and scored on McLouth's RBI single off Oakland starter Jarrod Parker (0-4). After McLouth stole second and scored on Markakis' hit, Jones hit a double down the left field line to drive in McLouth and put the Orioles up 3-2.
McLouth made it 4-2 when he doubled leading off the fifth, was sacrificed to third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Markakis off Parker.
"It just seems like at times (Parker) gets out of sync," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "He's slotting the ball pretty nicely then all of a sudden he gets behind three or four hitters in a row and has a little trouble coming back and getting that feeling again."
Davis hit his eighth homer of year, a solo shot in the sixth, to tie J.P. Arencibia of Toronto for the AL lead. He also singled in a run in the eighth.
McLouth also drove in a run on a fielder's choice. He has reached base safely in 16 of his last 25 plate appearances.
Parker allowed six runs over 5 1-3 innings and is winless in five starts this season. He struck out five and walked three.
Matt Weiters hit a bases loaded sacrifice fly and Hardy added an RBI single in the seventh for Baltimore.
Oakland got only two runners past first base after the second and has dropped eight of 12 since a nine-game winning streak.
Notes: A's pitching coach Curt Young was ejected in the third inning for arguing with first base umpire Jim Reynolds. ... Injured Oakland slugger Yoenis Cespedes (hand) went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts and an RBI in his first game of a rehab assignment. Cespedes is eligible to come off the disabled list Sunday. ... The A's reinstated INF Adam Rosales from the 15-day DL and optioned INF Andy Parrino to Triple-A Sacramento (PCL). ... Oakland sends LHP Tommy Milone (3-1) to the hill Friday. Milone had won five straight starts before losing to Tampa Bay last Sunday. ... LHP Wei-In Chen, who opposes Milone, has a 0.71 ERA in two career starts against the A's. ... LHP Zach Britton, who was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk (PCL) before the game, is a candidate to start Monday in Seattle.
