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ANAHEIM, Calif. - Rich Harden pitched with the poise of a veteran.
Harden induced double-play grounders in each of the first four innings and earned his first major-league win as the Athletics beat the Angels 8-1 Saturday.
"That was amazing, but you've got to tip your hat to Harden. He got in jams, got the ground balls he needed, and the boys turned them," first baseman Scott Hatteberg said. "Most of the double plays were fairly routine - but getting it, turning it and finishing it takes three perfect moves. So it was great to be able to help out the pitcher."
Considered perhaps the top pitching prospect in baseball, Harden allowed a run and seven hits, struck out three and walked one in seven innings. The Canadian right-hander, 21, gave up one run and four hits in seven innings in his debut at Kansas City on Monday.
"Keeping the ball down is something I've really been focusing on," Harden said. "I kept my fastball down and moved it in and out. I was kind of struggling with my offspeed pitches and my command early in the game, but I fixed some things mechanically and got it back a little bit."
The Angels, 111/2 games behind first-place Seattle in the West and 91/2 out in the wild-card chase, grounded into five double plays - one by Jeff DaVannon that ended the game.
Billy McMillon hit a leadoff homer and went 3-for-5. Hatteberg and Miguel Tejada also had three hits apiece for Oakland, and Eric Chavez added a two-run double.
MARINERS 4, RANGERS 0: Joel Pineiro pitched a career-best three-hitter to win his seventh straight decision for host Seattle.
Pineiro struck out seven and walked two in his third career shutout and second this season.
Ichiro Suzuki hit a run-scoring single and Bret Boone had a sacrifice fly for the West-leading Mariners, who lead the majors with 12 shutouts.
The powerful Rangers have been blanked nine times, second-most in the majors. The three hits were a season low for Texas.
Colby Lewis, recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma, allowed three runs on eight hits in 52/3 innings.
ORIOLES 7, BLUE JAYS 2: Pat Hentgen beat his former team, and Jeff Conine and Melvin Mora homered for visiting Baltimore.
Former Blue Jays third baseman Tony Batista had three hits and scored twice.
Hentgen won his second straight start, allowing two runs and five hits in six innings.
TIGERS 5, ROYALS 1: Jeremy Bonderman took a three-hit shutout into the ninth and Ramon Santiago hit a two-run triple for Detroit.
The Tigers improved to 13-36 at home, winning for the second time in three games overall after a six-game losing streak.
The Central-leading Royals, who have dropped four of six, committed two throwing errors on one play to allow a run in the fifth.
INDIANS 9, TWINS 2: Rookie Jody Gerut hit a grand slam to highlight host Cleveland's eight-run second inning.
Billy Traber made the huge early lead stand up by holding the Twins to one earned run and six hits in 61/3 innings. The rookie left-hander is 5-1 in six starts at home this season.