OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Chris Singleton's RBI single snapped a tie in the top of the 14th inning as the Baltimore Orioles posted a 6-4 victory over the Oakland Athletics in the opener of a three-game series.

Mike Bordick led off the 14th with a walk against Oakland reliever Mike Venafro (1-1) and Jerry Hairston sacrificed. Singleton followed with an RBI single to put Baltimore ahead, stole a pair of bases and scored on a two-out RBI single by Gary Matthews Jr.

"(It) just happens at times when you get into extra innings and everybody wants to win it with one swing and guys start longer swings and not really having quality at-bats," Singleton said.

Travis Driskill (1-0) pitched a pair of scoreless innings to notch his first major league victory. Closer Jorge Julio allowed a one-out single to Jeremy Giambi but got Miguel Tejada to pop out and struck out Jermaine Dye for his ninth save.

"Travis hadn't thrown in 13 days and to come in under those circumstances and pitch as well as he did (was huge)," Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said. "He was golden for us and threw strikes for us."

Venafro's rough 14th inning spoiled an otherwise strong outing from the Athletics' bullpen. Chad Bradford and Jim Mecir each tossed a pair of scoreless innings and closer Billy Koch went a career-high three innings, allowing just a pair of singles.

Oakland dropped its fourth straight and missed a golden opportunity to win in the 10th inning. Tejada and Dye walked with one out to chase Baltimore reliever Willis Roberts. B.J. Ryan entered and got Terrence Long to line out but Randy Velarde walked to load the bases. But third baseman Olmedo Saenz, filling in for an ailing Eric Chavez, grounded out on a 2-0 pitch to keep the contest going.

"There were times tonight during the ballgame, a number of times we could've rolled over," Hargrove said. "But we didn't. B.J. Ryan was outstanding to get out of that bases-loaded, 2-0 count on Saenz."

Baltimore starter Rodrigo Lopez was in line for his sixth victory without a loss after allowing one run and five hits in 6 1/3 innings. But Rick Bauer failed to hold a 4-1 lead, surrendering a solo homer to Giambi and a game-tying two-run blast by Dye in the eighth.

The Orioles built a 4-0 lead after three innings. Marty Cordova gave Baltimore the lead with a sacrifice fly in the first inning and Hairston connected for his first homer of the year in the second. Geronimo Gil added a two-run shot off A's starter Barry Zito in the third.

Zito, who had won his last three starts, settled down and allowed just two hits in his final three innings. He went six innings and allowed four runs and seven hits but failed to snap Oakland's slide. The A's have dropped 14 out of 17 and the only victories in that span have been by the lefthander.

"He kept us in the game and we finally chipped away and got back even but couldn't really cash in on their bullpen," Oakland manager Art Howe said. "Their bullpen did a heck of a job too."

The final five relievers for Baltimore combined for 6 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Ryan went 1 2/3 innings, Roberts got four outs and Buddy Groom retired a pair of hitters.

Lopez worked perfect innings in three of his first four frames before Saenz connected for his second homer to lead off the fifth. That snapped a six-game homerless stretch for Oakland.

After a single by Gil with one out in the fifth, Oakland retired 19 straight batters as Bradford and Mecir each retired six. A single by Hairston with two outs in the 11th snapped the string, which included seven strikeouts by Baltimore hitters.

The Athletics used several new players as a result of their recent woes but they failed to pan out. Leadoff hitter Esteban German was 0-for-6 with four strikeouts while Larry Sutton and Adam Piatt combined for five hitless at-bats.

"We feel he (German) deserves the opportunity and we are going to give it to him," Howe said.

In addition to Singleton's pair of steals, Hairston and Melvin Mora also swiped bases for Baltimore.