OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Dean Palmer hasn't been getting much sleep lately. For the time being, it hasn't mattered.

Palmer and Rich Becker each drove in three runs Friday night and the Detroit Tigers sent the Oakland Athletics to their sixth consecutive loss, 11-4.

After skipping the last two games to be with his wife for the delivery of twin boys, Palmer went 1-for-4. He's hit in 14 of his last 16 starts and the Tigers are 26-11 when he drives in a run.

"It's been an amazing couple of days," Palmer said. "To see two sons born is unbelievable. Then to get here in time to play and be able to contribute is just great."

Jeff Weaver (7-10) won for the first time in six starts since beating Cincinnati on July 16. Weaver, 0-3 during his skid, allowed three runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.

"He did a terrific job," Tigers manager Phil Garner said. "The amazing thing is he made adjustments to throw strikes all night. That's unusual for him."

Becker hit a two-run homer for the Tigers and Juan Gonzalez hit his 17th homer of the season.

Gil Heredia (13-8), who had won four straight decisions, allowed a season-high seven runs, eight hits and five walks in 4 2/3 innings. He has allowed 23 earned runs in 25 2/3 innings (8.06 ERA) in seven career appearance against the Tigers.

"When he walks two of the first three hitters he faces, you know he's not on top of his game," A's manager Art Howe said. "We're just going through a stretch where our starters are having trouble getting into the latter part of the game."

Detroit scored in the first inning for the ninth time in 16 games, taking a 2-0 lead on an RBI single by Gonzalez and a run-scoring throwing error by center fielder Terrence Long.

"We're just not playing well right now," said Oakland's Jason Giambi. "Detroit came out swinging the bats and struck first. That put us behind and Jeff didn't get into a lot of trouble He kept plodding along."

Palmer added a two-run single in the third to make it 4-0, Becker hit an RBI grounder in the fourth and Palmer had a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

"It's an especially good night for Dean," Garner said. "He's learning a new position (first base) and he had a great night."

Jose Macias' RBI double in the fifth off Doug Jones increased the lead to 7-0.

Oakland scored three times in the bottom half on Long's solo homer and Giambi's two-run homer, his 29th.

Brad Ausmus added an RBI single in the seventh that made it 8-3 and Becker hit a two-run homer in the eighth off Jeff Tam.

Miguel Tejada hit a solo homer in the eighth against Danny Patterson.

Game notes
Tigers RHP Hideo Nomo, on track to come off the 15-day disabled list on Monday, threw before the game and reported minimal pain in the injured finger on his right hand. ... A's RHP Omar Olivares is scheduled to make his final rehab start on Saturday with Single-A Modesto. ... A's regular stadium announcer Roy Steele left in the fourth inning because of a family emergency. Local talk show host Rich Herrera took his place. ... Weaver had allowed nine runs in 7 2-3 innings in two previous games against the A's. ... The A's have been outscored 56-17 in their last six games and have allowed 11 or more runs in four of their last five games. ... Ausmus and manager Phil Garner were ejected in the bottom of the seventh by plate umpire Mike Fichter for arguing balls and strikes.