A’s Cut the Giants Down to Size

Bobby Crosby batted in each of the first five innings, and so did Jason Kendall and Mark Kotsay. Eric Chavez didn’t hit in the third but got two chances in the fifth.

All the while, Rich Harden waited patiently before going back to the mound every inning.

Nick Swisher hit a pair of two-run homers, Harden (4-3) threw seven innings of one-hit ball and the Athletics swept a three-game series from the San Francisco Giants for the first time with a 16-0 victory Sunday at Oakland.

“If you’re on their side or on our side, you just forget about it,� Chavez said. “But you hope you’re not on the other end of it. You can’t gain anything from it.�

The A’s matched the club record for largest margin of shutout victory, most recently achieved on May 23, 1959, against the White Sox as the Kansas City A’s. It broke the Oakland record for biggest shutout win -- the previous was 15 on Aug. 30, 2001, at Baltimore.

It was the largest shutout defeat in San Francisco history and matched its biggest loss, which last happened in a 19-3 home defeat against Montreal on May 7, 1997.

Brett Tomko (5-10) lasted only 2 2/3 innings in his third consecutive loss.

New York Yankees 5, New York Mets 4 -- Jason Giambi capped a ninth-inning rally with a two-run single, and the host Yankees avoided an embarrassing three-game sweep.

Tino Martinez walked, Alex Rodriguez doubled and Hideki Matsui was walked before Giambi’s hit against Braden Looper (2-3).

Atlanta 8, Baltimore 1 -- Andruw Jones hit his major league-leading 24th home run, John Smoltz (8-5) won his fourth start in a row and the Braves sent the visiting Orioles to their fifth loss in a row.

Baltimore’s Rafael Palmeiro hit his 562nd home run, leaving him one behind Reggie Jackson for ninth on the career list.

Toronto 9, Washington 5 -- Orlando Hudson hit two home runs, including a tiebreaking two-run shot in the eighth inning, and the Blue Jays ended the Nationals’ 12-game home winning streak.

Cleveland 4, Cincinnati 3 -- Pinch-hitter Victor Martinez singled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning at Cleveland to help the Indians complete interleague play with a major league-best 15-3 record.

Boston 12, Philadelphia 8 -- Manny Ramirez hit his 19th grand slam and drove in five runs at Philadelphia, leading the Red Sox to their season-high seventh win in a row.

Ramirez tied Eddie Murray for second on the career grand slams list. Lou Gehrig holds the record with 23.

Houston 3, Texas 2 -- Andy Pettitte gave up two runs -- one earned -- and seven hits with no walks, and Morgan Ensberg singled home the winning run in the 10th for the Astros at Houston. Chad Qualls (3-3) pitched a hitless 10th for the win.

Minnesota 5, Milwaukee 2 -- Rookie Luis Rodriguez hit his first major league home run, and Kyle Lohse (6-6) became only the second Twin starter in 13 games to get a win at Milwaukee.

Florida 1, Tampa Bay 0 -- A.J. Burnett threw a two-hitter for his first shutout since 2002, leading the Marlins to a three-game sweep at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Colorado 9, Kansas City 4 -- Joe Kennedy (4-7) gave up two runs in seven innings for his first victory in six starts to help the Rockies to a three-game sweep at Denver.

San Diego 5, Seattle 4 -- Damian Jackson homered twice and had four hits, and Xavier Nady homered for the third game in a row to lead the Padres at San Diego.

Arizona 13, Detroit 7 -- Shawn Green hit two of the Diamondbacks’ four home runs, and Alex Cintron drove in three runs at Phoenix.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Pittsburgh 5, St. Louis 4 -- Jason Bay hit a pair of game-tying home runs, and Jose Castillo hit a tiebreaking shot in the 10th inning in the Pirates’ victory at St. Louis. Bay had four runs batted in.