Crosby's homer helps A's beat Indians

Cleveland Indians' C.C. Sabathia reacts during the second inning against the Oakland Athletics in a baseball game, Friday, April 11, 2008, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

CLEVELAND—Bobby Crosby hit a three-run homer for the Oakland Athletics, who took advantage of 10 walks by Cleveland pitchers in a 7-3 win over the Indians on Saturday night.

Cleveland starter Fausto Carmona, two days after signing a seven-year, $48 million contract extension, couldn't buy a strike. The A's held off swinging at the right-hander's darting sinker, which dipped out of the zone and produced a career-high eight walks in 3 1-3 innings.

Crosby's homer capped a four-run seventh off reliever Rafael Perez.

Lenny DiNardo (1-0), starting in place of injured Rich Harden, gave up two runs on six hits over five-plus innings for his first win since last Aug. 19. The soft-tossing left-hander struck out two without issuing a walk, leaving with two on in the sixth.

Harden is eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list April 18. He is sidelined by a strained right shoulder.

A year ago, Carmona and left-hander C.C. Sabathia each won 19 games to help Cleveland win the AL Central. But one night after Sabathia was pounded for nine runs and 12 hits in only 3 1-3 innings, Carmona became the first Cleveland starter to walk eight in a game since Bob Ojeda did it in six innings against the New York Yankees on Aug. 26, 1993.

Carmona got double plays after walks in the second and third innings, but his luck didn't continue. With two out in the third, he walked Travis Buck, who went to third on a double by Mark Ellis. Both scored on Daric Barton's line single to left to make it 2-0.

Franklin Gutierrez broke a 1-for-23 slump with a double to open the bottom half, advanced on a groundout and scored on another to make it 2-1.

Carmona came apart in the fourth, walking four of the five men he faced. Jensen Lewis came on, struck out Travis Buck and got Mark Ellis to pop to second to preserve a 3-1 lead.

Pinch-hitter David Dellucci's bases-loaded walk off reliever Joey Devine got Cleveland within 3-2 in sixth.

Perez walked Barton to open the seventh, yielded a single to Mike Sweeney and an RBI single to pinch-hitter Emil Brown before Crosby connected for his first homer and a 7-2 lead.

Grady Sizemore's sacrifice fly in the ninth made it 7-3.

Notes:@ Oakland won the first two games of the three-game series. The Indians had won seven consecutive home series since being swept by the Yankees last Aug. 10-12. ... Oakland OF Ryan Sweeney left in the fourth with a strained right quad. ... Buck went 0-for-3 with two walks after missing one game with shin splints. ... Gutierrez failed in two key situations, striking out with two on to end the fourth and popping out to right with the bases loaded in the sixth. ... Garko broke a 3-for-16 (.188) slump by going 2-for-3.