BALTIMORE (Interstat) — Brent Rooker hit a three-run homer in the third inning and Aaron Civale pitched five scoreless innings as the Athletics defeated the Baltimore Orioles 6-2 on Saturday evening before 30,707 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

The Athletics, who improved to 21-18, scored single runs in the first, fifth and ninth innings to go with Rooker’s blast in a three-run third. Baltimore (17-23) pushed across two runs in the eighth but could not complete a comeback, losing for the eighth time in 10 games as boos rained down from the home crowd.

Civale allowed six hits and struck out six without walking a batter over five innings to earn his fourth win against one loss. He retired the side in order in the second and fourth innings and worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth. Civale’s start was his second consecutive quality outing; on May 3 he threw six innings of one-run ball against Cleveland, and on April 28 he allowed no earned runs in five innings against Kansas City despite taking a loss.

Shane Baz took the loss for Baltimore, falling to 1-4 after allowing five runs on five hits over four and two-thirds innings. He struck out five and walked two, but the Athletics attacked early. Nick Kurtz led off the game with a double to left field and scored on a single by Shea Langeliers, giving the A’s a 1-0 lead after the top of the first.

Baltimore had a chance to answer in the bottom of the first when Gunnar Henderson singled and Adley Rutschman doubled, but Civale struck out Pete Alonso to end the threat. The Athletics extended their lead in the third after Kurtz walked and Langeliers singled to put runners at first and second. Rooker then drove a 1-0 pitch from Baz over the right-field wall for his fifth home run of the season, making it 4-0.

Civale continued to cruise, retiring eight of nine batters between the second and fourth innings. Baltimore put two runners on in the fourth but Civale struck out Coby Mayo to end the inning. In the fifth, the Athletics added another run when Kurtz doubled for the second time, moved to third on a sacrifice fly by Langeliers and scored on the same play after the Orioles could not complete a throw. Kurtz finished with two doubles and has now reached base in 33 consecutive games. Langeliers went 2 for 3 with two RBIs.

Baz was lifted after allowing a double to Carlos Cortes in the fifth, but reliever Lou Trivino escaped further damage. Trivino threw two and one-third scoreless innings, striking out three while allowing two hits. Dietrich Enns added a scoreless inning for Baltimore, striking out one.

The Orioles finally broke through against the Athletics bullpen in the eighth. Leody Taveras singled with one out, and Dylan Beavers doubled to put runners at second and third. Colton Cowser then lined a single to center field, scoring both Taveras and Beavers to cut the lead to 5-2. But Scott Barlow entered and got Tyler O’Neill to ground into a forceout to end the inning. Barlow struck out two in a scoreless ninth.

The Athletics answered immediately in the top of the ninth. Langeliers walked, moved to third on a single by Rooker and scored on a single by Colby Thomas. Joel Kuhnel then worked a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out one, to seal the victory.

Hogan Harris also threw a scoreless inning for the Athletics, retiring all three batters he faced with two strikeouts.

The game lasted 2 hours 51 minutes.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Athletics 5, Orioles 4. Interstat’s ELO system gave Baltimore a 52.60 percent probability to win. The Orioles were installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5 runs. The total of eight runs went over the over-under line of nine.