OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Sammy Sosa’s 25-foot RBI 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 Oakland 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.

Rodrigo Lopez (12-6) pitched 6 2-3 strong innings to win his third straight decision despite trailing for most of the night. Luis Matos added an RBI double in the ninth for Baltimore, which began a six-game road trip.

Crosby ended a 35-game homerless streak with a solo shot in the first inning for Oakland, but he also made a costly error as the sloppy A’s lost back-to-back games for the first time since July 6-7 at Toronto.

Zito (11-9) cruised through the first six innings, retiring 17 of his first 19 hitters, but fell apart in the seventh 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.

Crosby hit a solo shot into the left-field seats with two outs in the first inning for his first home run since an inside-the-park homer July 5 at Toronto, a stretch of 141 at-bats.

After Crosby’s homer, Lopez loaded the bases with back-to-back singles to Eric Chavez and Dan Johnson and a walk to Jay Payton. But Lopez got Scott Hatteberg to line out to center, the first of 11 straight outs before Scutaro singled in the fifth.

Lopez allowed two runs and six hits, struck out three and walked two.

Crosby, who came into the game with only one hit in 25 career at-bats against Baltimore, led off the sixth with a double. Chavez then singled him home.

Eric Byrnes received a warm ovation in his return to his native Bay Area just more than a month after the A’s traded the popular outfielder. He finished 0-for-5.

Byrnes became a fan favorite in Oakland for his no-fear style of play in the outfield, which frequently featured crazy crashes into the wall to make clutch catches. In the very spot along the left-field fence where Byrnes banners used to be a mainstay, a sign reading “Byrnes Bleacher Creatures” hung from the railing to welcome him back.

He made an athletic catch to rob Mark Kotsay of a hit in the fifth, diving and sliding on his stomach to make the play. Byrnes sprinted into the visitors’ dugout, ball still in hand. In the next inning, he struck out for the second time against Zito.

Notes: Sosa’s infield single snapped an 0-for-17 slump and was his second hit in 28 at-bats. … Orioles slugger Rafael Palmeiro believes he “soon” will be able to explain himself and tell people why he tested positive for steroids. “My day will come when I can say what happened. As of right now, I can’t say anything. Hopefully soon,” Palmeiro said Monday, a day after returning to the lineup following a 10-game suspension for violating baseball’s steroid policy. He wasn’t in the lineup. … Crosby’s previous hit against the Orioles came on opening day this year.

AP-ES-08-16-05 0101EDT

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