BALTIMORE (AP) – Melvin Mora and Miguel Tejada hit run-scoring singles in the seventh inning to carry the Baltimore Orioles to their season-high tying third straight victory, 5-3 over the Oakland Athletics on Monday night.

Brian Roberts went 2-for-2 with two walks for the Orioles, who blew a 3-0 lead, then went ahead for good against Kirk Saarloos (3-6) in the seventh.

Nick Markakis and Roberts hit one-out singles before Brandon Fahey hit into a force play at second. Mora then lined a single to center and Tejada grounded a single up the middle.

Kurt Birkins (5-1) worked the seventh, Todd Williams gave up a hit in the eighth and Chris Ray got three outs to earn his 23rd save in 24 chances.

Oakland starter Jason Windsor allowed three runs and five hits in his major league debut. He walked three, struck out three and yielded two unearned runs – by virtue of his own throwing error.

The right-hander was matched against rookie Adam Loewen, whose lack of control proved costly in his sixth big league start.

Recalled from Triple-A Ottawa on Friday for a second stint with the Orioles, Loewen gave up one hit and struck out five in five innings. But the left-hander walked six, hit two batters with pitches and committed a balk that provided Oakland with its second run.

He threw 92 pitches, 44 of which were ruled outside the strike zone by plate umpire Tim Tschida.

Loewen left with a 3-2 lead, but the Oakland tied it in the sixth against Chris Britton. Jay Payton and Milton Bradley hit singles, and Payton tagged and took third after Markakis made a leaping grab of a liner to right by Bobby Crosby. Payton then scored on the front end of a double steal, breaking for home after Bradley got caught in a rundown.

Prior to Britton’s appearance, the Baltimore bullpen had retired 16 straight batters.

Windsor got his major league career started by walking the first batter he faced, Roberts, who scored on a single by Tejada before Jeff Conine hit into a double play.

Windsor benefited from a double play in the second inning, too, but yielded two unearned runs in the third. With two outs and a runner on third, the rookie fielded a grounder by Tejada and threw the ball far over the head of first baseman Nick Swisher. Conine followed with an RBI single for a 3-0 lead.

Oakland scored twice in the fourth without a hit, ending the Orioles’ run of 26 straight innings without allowing an earned run. Loewen walked the bases loaded and then walked Mark Ellis to force in a run before committing a balk.

Notes: Actor Tom Hanks led the crowd in spelling out O-R-I-O-L-E-S from his suite during the seventh-inning stretch. Director Ron Howard and comedian Dennis Miller were also in attendance. … The Orioles played without DH Javy Lopez (sore back) … Oakland was without CF Mark Kotsay (knee). … Baltimore LHP Tim Byrdak, who’s been on the disabled list since spring training after elbow surgery, allowed one run and two hits Monday in his first rehab assignment, for Single-A Aberdeen against Jamestown. … The last Oakland starter to win in his debut was Aaron Harang, on May 25, 2002. … Eric Chavez played his 50th straight errorless game at 3B, nine short of the Oakland team record.

AP-ES-07-17-06 2205EDT