Eaton pitching gem lifts Orioles past Chisox 6-2

[April 24, 2009]  BALTIMORE (AP) -- Adam Eaton took a four-hitter into the eighth inning to earn his first victory with Baltimore, and the Orioles roughed up Bartolo Colon in a 6-2 win over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.

Eaton (1-2) allowed six hits, struck out nine and walked none in 7 1-3 innings. The right-hander left with runners at the corners in the eighth, and Jim Thome ruined the shutout bid with a two-out, two-run single off Jim Johnson.

Signed in March after being released by Philadelphia, Eaton had an 11.25 ERA in his first two starts with the Orioles and failed to last more than four innings.

But the right-hander was masterful against the White Sox, yielding only one extra-base hit -- an eighth-inning double by Alexei Ramirez. Eaton struck out Thome and Josh Fields three times apiece.

Colon (1-1) gave up five runs, eight hits and two walks in three innings, his shortest start since July 23, 2007, against Oakland as a member of the Los Angeles Angels. Colon permitted 10 of 19 batters to reach base in his first loss since returning to the White Sox as a free agent during the offseason.

The Orioles took two of three from Chicago, their fourth series win in five tries. Baltimore was 0-4 in the finale of its previous four series, being outscored 53-12.

Eaton gave up a leadoff single in the first inning to Chris Getz, who stole second. Eaton then struck out Fields, Carlos Quentin and Thome.

A throwing error by White Sox right fielder Jermaine Dye and an RBI single by Ty Wigginton gave Baltimore a 2-0 lead in the bottom half. The Orioles loaded the bases with one out in the second but failed to score.

In the third, however, Luke Scott hit a two-run double and scored on a single by Cesar Izturis to put Baltimore up 5-0. The Orioles added an unearned run in the fourth against D.J. Carrasco, whose throwing error preceded an RBI double by Nick Markakis.

Notes: Thome's two RBIs gave him 1,499 for his career. ... Wigginton hit a double in the third inning, his first extra-base hit in 52 at-bats this season. ... Dye's error was his first in 96 games. ... The White Sox tied a season high by striking out 10 times. ... Markakis extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

[Associated Press; By DAVID GINSBURG]

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