The Athletics are making a habit of ruining parties. After dropping two of three to the Phillies, they rolled into Baltimore for a three-game set and crashed the Orioles' Tupac bobblehead night at Camden Yards. The result? A gritty 4-3 win that gave Oakland its second straight road victory—and sent the home crowd home disappointed.

Let's be honest, this one didn't start pretty. Orioles starter Kyle Bradish was dealing early, retiring the first six A's hitters in order. Meanwhile, Oakland's Jacob Lopez was walking a tightrope in the first inning, putting runners on the corners after a walk to Gunnar Henderson and a single by Adley Rutschman. But Lopez showed real grit, escaping the jam by getting Pete Alonso to pop out and Tyler O'Neill to ground out. That escape seemed to settle him down, and he cruised through the next three innings.

The A's offense finally woke up in the third. After Jeff McNeil was hit by a pitch, Nick Kurtz legged out an infield single for Oakland's first hit of the game. That hustle extended Kurtz's on-base streak to an MLB-leading 32 games—a remarkable run for the rookie first baseman. But Bradish struck out Shea Langeliers to end the threat.

Baltimore struck first in the fourth when Alonso launched his eighth homer of 2026, a solo shot to right. Lopez gave up four deep fly balls that inning, but only Alonso's found the seats.

The A's answered in the fifth. Jacob Wilson led off with an infield single, extending his hit streak to 12 games. Lawrence Butler followed with a single to left, and then Zack Gelof delivered—a single to left that scored Wilson and tied the game at 1-1.

Then came the moment that turned the tide. With runners on second and third and one out, Kurtz stepped up. The "Big 6-foot-5" first baseman ripped a two-run double to center, putting the A's ahead 3-1. That hit gave Oakland all the cushion it would need.

The bullpen did its job—bending but never breaking. Closer Mason Miller slammed the door in the ninth, striking out two of the three batters he faced to secure the win. For a team that's been searching for consistency, this kind of win—on the road, against a good team, in a hostile environment—is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Next up: Game 2 of the series. If the A's can keep this momentum going, they might just start flying themselves.