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Monday, Sep. 18 7:05pm ET
Giambi tops Canseco's RBI record | |||||
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GAME LOG
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Setting Oakland's single-season RBI record wasn't nearly as important to Jason Giambi as keeping pace with Cleveland in the AL wild-card race. Giambi homered and drove in two runs as the surging Athletics beat the Baltimore Orioles 12-3 Monday night. "It's exciting," Giambi said of breaking Jose Canseco's 1988 record of 124 RBI. "But I have other things to get this year. I want to make it to postseason. ... I want to stay focused on trying to get us to the playoffs." Giambi hit an RBI single in the first inning off Pat Rapp (8-12) and added a solo homer, his 38th, in the sixth inning to give him 126 RBI. Miguel Tejada and Eric Chavez also homered for Oakland, which has won 11 of 14. The A's trail first-place Seattle by 2 1/2 games in the AL West and are a half-game behind wild-card leader Cleveland. "The main story is the offense," Oakland starter Kevin Appier said. "Tonight, they just exploded. ... Once they saw (Orioles starter Pat) Rapp the first time through the order, they made adjustments." Appier (14-11) allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. Oakland isn't wasting opportunities against weak teams. Seven of the A's last eight wins have come against sub-.500 clubs and Oakland has three more games against the sliding Orioles before a key four-game series starts in Seattle on Thursday. "That's what it's all about," A's manager Art Howe said. "That's what you call a pennant race." Delino DeShields homered for the Orioles, who have lost four straight and six of seven to drop a season-worst 18 games under .500. During the losing streak, the Orioles have been outscored 39-7. "Three of the last four games have been absolutely embarrassing, period, from all of us," Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said. "From me, the coaching staff, the players -- we have not played the way we're capable of playing and that will change." Rapp gave up seven runs on 11 hits, walked three and struck out three. Oakland took a 1-0 in the first when Terrence Long singled, advanced to second on Randy Velarde's single and scored on a hit by Giambi. DeShields' ninth homer of the season, a two-run shot to center field in the bottom of the inning, gave the Orioles a 2-1 lead. A four-run fourth put the A's ahead 5-2. Ben Grieve led off with a double and scored on Tejada's single to center. After a single by Chavez and a walk to Jeremy Giambi loaded the bases, Ramon Hernandez scored three runs with a double to center. The Orioles chased Appier with one away in the sixth, with Greg Myers' RBI single cutting the lead to 7-3. Tejada hit his 27th homer off reliever B.J. Ryan in the seventh. In the eighth, Grieve added an RBI single, Tejada a run-scoring double and Chavez hit a two-run homer for a 12-3 lead. Game notesIn nine games against Baltimore this season, Hernandez is 9-for-25 with two home runs and 10 RBI. ... Orioles 2B Jerry Hairston Jr. singled in the first to snap an 0-for-23 stretch. ... Tuesday's day-night doubleheader between the teams will be the fourth in Oakland history and the fourth of the season for Baltimore. ... Rapp hit Hernandez in the left shoulder in the fifth, giving him five hit batters for the season and tying him for the team lead with disabled Scott Erickson. ... DH Matt Stairs was the only A's starter not to get a hit off of Rapp. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Oakland Clubhouse Baltimore Clubhouse RECAPS Oakland 12 Baltimore 3
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