OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Kirk Saarloos didn't let a leadoff home run spoil his best start of the season.

Saarloos pitched into the seventh inning as the Oakland Athletics made the best of just five hits and posted a 2-1 triumph over the Philadelphia Phillies .

Philadelphia collected nine hits and received four walks but hit into four double plays and was 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, spoiling a fine outing by former Athletic Cory Lidle .

"I don't feel like they beat us today, we gave it to them," said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel , whose team lost for just the ninth in their last 31 games. "Not to take anything away from the A's, but we beat ourselves with mistakes. You can't leave that many guys on base and expect to win."

Jimmy Rollins opened the game with his second leadoff homer of the season and 11th of his career, but Saarloos (3-4) escaped further damage thereafter despite allowing nine hits and four walks in a season-high 6 1/3 innings.

"I wouldn't say that I had great control today," Saarloos said. "Even when I'm pitching well, guy's are going to hit me. That's why the defense was so important. I was able to keep us in the game, and they did a great job behind me."

"Pitchers have to have trust in their fielders," A's manager Ken Macha said. "Kirk threw strikes, quality pitches, and we supported him with a bunch of double plays, some of the unusual variety."

In the sixth inning, Oakland center fielder Mark Kotsay ran down a drive hit by Jason Michaels and threw a strike to first, doubling off Chase Utley to end the inning.

"I had a good beat on it, and knew I could run it down," Kotsay said. "It was a matter of getting my feet set so that I could make the throw. Even though I was a little off-balance, I was still able to get enough on the throw to get the double play."

Two innings earlier, Philadelphia had a chance to score in the fourth when Jim Thome doubled to center field with Bobby Abreu on first and one out. But Kotsay retrieved the ball, threw to shortstop Bobby Crosby , who nailed Abreu at the plate.

Ricardo Rincon relieved Saarloos with a runner on second base and two outs and recorded six consecutive outs before Justin Duchscherer got the final two batters for his first major league save.

"My approach wasn't any different in that situation," said Duchscherer, who was forced into the closer's role when Huston Street strained a hamstring before the game. "I still need to make my pitches, no matter what the score, or inning. Today I was able to hit my spots in the ninth, and we got the win."

The A's have won 11 of their last 15 games at home and are 8-1 in one-run games at McAfee Coliseum.

Oakland recorded three consecutive hits in the fourth to score its two runs. Crosby led off the frame with a single and Eric Chavez followed with a double. Scott Hatteberg singled home Crosby and two batters later Dan Johnson hit a sacrifice fly to give Oakland the lead.

Lidle (6-5) allowed two runs and five hits in 7 2/3 innings, walking two and striking out two.

"It's a little frustrating, but you're going to have days like this," Lidle said. "I felt good, and I was getting ahead of their hitters. Even when they got those runs in the fourth, I still felt like I was making my pitches.