Justin Duchscherer allowed one run in five innings in his first start since 2003, helping the Oakland Athletics to a 6-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Friday night that was tempered by the right-hander leaving the game with biceps tendinitis. Duchscherer, who had season-ending surgery on his right hip last July, retired the first 11 batters he faced.
A reliever the past four years before an offseason trade that sent staff ace Dan Haren to Arizona and opened a spot in the A's rotation, Duchscherer struck out six and walked two. He left in the sixth after giving up back-to-back singles to Kelly Shoppach and Grady Sizemore. Cleveland starter Paul Byrd also had his problems, but they weren't physical. (More MLB stories.)