SAN FRANCISCO – Oakland beat up on its former ace again, chasing Barry Zito after four tough innings.

Bobby Crosby homered off Zito, Mark Ellis also connected and Dan Haren won his seventh straight decision.

Zito (6-6) certainly wanted nothing more than to bounce back from a horrible start against the A’s on May 18, when he was tagged for seven runs in four innings of a 15-3 loss to his former club. But he gave up nine hits and four runs – three earned – and the Giants lost for their sixth in eight games.

Barry Bonds went 2-for-4 with two singles and two strikeouts. The 42-year-old slugger has just one homer in 73 at-bats since connecting May 8 off the Mets’ Tom Glavine.

Haren (7-2) struck out six in seven innings and didn’t walk a batter for the fourth time this year. He lowered his majors-best ERA from 1.70 to 1.58.

Astros 3, White Sox 2

CHICAGO – Lance Berkman hit an RBI single in the top of the ninth and Houston won back-to-back games for the first time since mid-May.

The White Sox have lost 12 of 14. The Astros, also struggling this season, have their first two-game winning streak since taking four straight from May 12-16.

Berkman singled to drive in Adam Everett against Bobby Jenks (2-2).

Houston starter Jason Jennings, bidding for his first win with the Astros, took a 2-0 lead into the eighth inning against the White Sox. Jennings left after allowing a single, and Jim Thome hit a two-run double off reliever Trever Miller to tie the game.

Chad Qualls (5-3) got the final out in the eight, and pitched the ninth, striking out Mackowiak with a runner on third to end the game.

Tigers 8, Mets 7

DETROIT – Carlos Guillen hit a three-run home run, Jeremy Bonderman won his sixth straight start and Detroit won for the fifth time in seven games.

Bonderman (6-0) gave up eight hits and six runs – five earned – while striking out four in six-plus innings. After five straight no-decisions, Bonderman has won each of his last six starts.

Phillies 4, Royals 0

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Philadelphia’ Jon Lieber struck out 11 in a three-hitter for his 25th career complete game.

After allowing a single to leadoff batter David DeJesus, Lieber (3-4) struck out the next six batters while retiring 11 straight. He struck out the side on 14 pitches in the second inning and went to a three-ball count on only two hitters while finishing with no walks.

It was Lieber’s fifth career shutout, and first since last Aug. 16 against the New York Mets.

Devil Rays 7, Marlins 2

MIAMI – James Shields remained undefeated, pitching seven strong innings for Tampa Bay.

Shields (6-0)allowed six hits and struck out nine in winning his third straight start. It was the ninth time in his last 10 starts that Shields has held the opposition to three runs or fewer.

Dontrelle Willis (7-5) took the loss, allowing four runs and eight hits while striking out five in seven innings.

Miguel Cabrera hit his 13th home run, a two-run shot in the sixth that cut the lead to 4-2.

Nationals 3, Twins 1

MINNEAPOLIS – Levale Speigner surprised his old organization by cruising through six innings and Ryan Zimmerman hit a three-run homer for Washington.

Johan Santana wasn’t quite good enough again for defending AL Central champion Minnesota, going seven innings – but falling to 6-6 while his team lost its sixth game in the last seven.

Speigner (2-2) gave up only two hits and had Minnesota’s batters off balance all night. Only Justin Morneau, who hit his 17th homer in the second inning, solved him.

Chad Cordero worked the ninth for his eighth save, and 99th of his career.

Santana gave up seven hits, only two earned runs and didn’t walk anyone while striking out five in seven innings.

Rockies 3, Orioles 2

BALTIMORE – Kazuo Matsui doubled in the tiebreaking run with two outs in the 10th inning, and Colorado Rockies received a strong pitching performance from former Oriole Rodrigo Lopez.

Chris Iannetta singled with one out in the 10th off Todd Williams (0-1) and advanced on a bunt by Willy Taveras before Matsui lined an opposite-field liner to left.

Jeremy Affeldt (4-1) worked the ninth and Brian Fuentes got three outs for this 18th save.

Facing the team he played for over the previous five seasons, Lopez allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings.

Jeremy Guthrie gave the Orioles with another solid start, but his teammates again failed to provide him with enough offense to claim a victory.

Angels 9, Cardinals 3

ST. LOUIS – Chone Figgins had four hits and pitcher Ervin Santana started a four-run fourth inning with a two-run double for Los Angeles.

Figgins had RBI singles in the fourth and ninth and extended his hitting streak to nine games. He is batting .525 (21-for-40) during the streak. He also stole two bases, after swiping a career-high three against the Cardinals on Friday.

Santana (5-6) needed 115 pitches to get through six innings. He gave up three runs and six hits with a walk and five strikeouts.

St. Louis got their three runs with home runs. Juan Encarnancion extended his hitting streak to 10 with a solo shot in the fourth and Jim Edmonds hit a two-run homer to pull the Cardinals to within 6-3.

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AP-ES-06-09-07 2229EDT