OAKLAND, Calif. — Stephen Drew homered and made two big defensive plays to back Jarrod Parker, and the Athletics beat the Orioles 5-2 on Saturday night.
Chris Carter had a two-run double in a five-run third inning for Oakland, which has won two straight over Baltimore to clinch the season series between the top teams in the American League wild-card race.
The A's also pulled within two games of first-place Texas in the AL West, the closest they've been since April 13. Baltimore fell one game behind the Yankees in the AL East but remained three ahead of the Rays.
Drew's homer off Baltimore starter Zach Britton was the first of four Oakland hits in the third. The shortstop then made the first of his defensive gems when he threw out Adam Jones trying to score from first on Chris Davis' double in the fourth, making a perfect relay from leftfielder Yoenis Cespedes.
Drew later ran down Endy Chavez's grounder behind second base and flipped the ball from his glove to Adam Rosales to force out Mark Reynolds.
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