A's at the plate: Oakland hitters combined for nine hits, two from second baseman Mark Ellis, but scored only one run. Designated hitter Dan Johnson accounted for that tally with a solo homer off Brewers right-hander Scott Cassidy.

Brewers at the plate: Milwaukee scored three runs in the first inning and three more in the second, as Nos. 2-4 hitters Mike Cameron, Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun combined for four hits and six RBIs. Braun lined a long, two-run home run in the first inning into a camera well built into the center-field batter's eye and added a sacrifice fly in the second inning. Fielder hit an RBI double in the first inning and a sacrifice fly in the second.

A's on the mound: Right-hander Joe Blanton had a forgettable day, allowing six earned runs on eight hits in his two innings of work. He surrendered Braun's homer on an 0-and-2 pitch that got too much of the inner half of home plate, but did strike out three batters without issuing a walk. Kirk Saarloos and Dan Meyer each pitched two scoreless innings in relief.

Brewers on the mound: Five Brewers pitchers held Oakland scoreless through the first seven innings before Cassidy surrendered a homer in the eighth. Claudio Vargas was the starter and scattered three hits in two scoreless innings of work.

Up next: The teams meet again Friday to complete the annual "home-and-home" series between teams based within the Phoenix city limits. Left-hander Dallas Braden is slated to start for Oakland, and right-hander Dave Bush and lefty Manny Parra are each scheduled to work two innings for Milwaukee. New Brewers closer Eric Gagne is scheduled to debut.