Major League Baseball

Orioles 4, Athletics 0

Published Jun. 8, 2011 3:40 a.m. ET

foxsports

If Chris Jakubauskas can figure out a way to avoid getting hit by line drives, he just might have a future as a starter in the major leagues.

Jakubauskas pitched five scoreless innings, J.J. Hardy, Luke Scott and Adam Jones hit solo homers, and the Baltimore Orioles beat Oakland 4-0 Tuesday night to stretch the Athletics' losing streak to a season-high eight games.

Jakubauskas (1-0) came into the game with a 6.39 ERA over five appearances, all in relief. He was pressed into duty because the Orioles are carrying only four starters and were playing for a fifth straight day.

The last time Jakubauskas started a game was on April 24, 2010, with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In that game, the right-hander was struck in the head by a liner off the bat of Lance Berkman in the first inning and carted off the field.

Against Oakland, Jakubauskas had a two-hit shutout in the fifth inning when Cliff Pennington smacked a line drive that hit the pitcher above his left ankle.

''There were some choice words that went through my mind after it happened, but I tried to keep those as quiet as I could,'' Jakubauskas said. ''It was more of just, 'I can't believe this. Really? Again I get hit?'''

After consulting with trainer Richie Bancells and manager Buck Showalter, Jakubauskas took a few warmup tosses and finished his outing by retiring Jemile Weeks for the third out.

It was enough to get him his first win in the majors since 2009 with Seattle.

''I knew what it was: spot start, go out, try and get five or six innings, save the 'pen so we don't have to use (Alfredo) Simon or anyone else for too long. Luckily, it went that way,'' Jakubauskas said.

He gave up three hits, walked one and struck out four.

''It definitely felt good to get back out, start a game and let it be mine from minute one,'' he said.

Jones had three hits for the Orioles, who will try to complete a three-game sweep Wednesday night. Baltimore had lost eight straight series to Oakland since July 2007.

Hardy and Scott connected against Guillermo Moscoso (2-2), and Jones made it 3-0 in the sixth with a drive off Michael Wuertz. Mark Reynolds added an RBI double in the seventh against Craig Breslow.

The eight-game slide is Oakland's longest since an identical skid from Sept. 27, 2009, to April 5, 2010. The A's are 5-15 since May 17.

Oakland didn't get more than one hit in an inning, and seemingly every time the A's made good contact, the ball went right at an Oriole.

''It seems like it's been happening like that all year - especially the last couple of weeks,'' center fielder Ryan Sweeney said. ''We're having good at-bats but can't put anything together and hit it right at somebody.''

Making his major league debut, Weeks went 0 for 4 in the leadoff spot. Weeks, the 12th overall pick in the 2008 draft, had his contract purchased from Triple-A Sacramento before the game. The second baseman is the younger brother of Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks.

After Jakubauskas left, Clay Rapada retired two batters in the sixth, Jeremy Accardo worked 2 1-3 innings and Koji Uehara got the final three outs to complete the five-hitter.

Before the game, the Orioles learned that it will be at least two more weeks before leadoff hitter Brian Roberts can resume baseball-related activities. Roberts received the news in a consultation with concussion specialist Dr. Michael Collins in Pittsburgh.

Robert Andino and Felix Pie had been used atop the order in Roberts' absence, but Showalter decided to use Hardy ''out of necessity.''

The move paid immediate dividends. After a first-pitch strike, Hardy hit his first career leadoff homer, a drive to left that provided Baltimore with a lead it would not relinquish.

Scott hit his seventh homer of the season - the first since May 3 - leading off the fifth. The drive traveled an estimated 418 feet and landed on Eutaw Street beyond the 25-foot wall in right field.

Moscoso allowed two runs and five hits in five innings. Coming into the game, he had not given up a home run this season over 14 innings.

''He threw great tonight,'' Sweeney said. ''We just didn't score any runs for him.''

NOTES: The A's placed LHP Brett Anderson (sore elbow) and 2B Mark Ellis (strained right hamstring) on the 15-day disabled list. ... Actor Ed Harris threw out the ceremonial first pitch. ... Eight of Baltimore's last 10 home runs have been solo shots.