Orioles Beat ChiSox For 3rd Straight Win

Sunday, July 15th 2007, 3:56 pm

By: News On 6

BALTIMORE (AP) _ Brian Roberts and Corey Patterson homered, rookie Garrett Olson earned his first major league win, and the Baltimore Orioles handed Jose Contreras his AL-high 11th loss in a 5-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.

Aubrey Huff had two hits and two RBIs for the Orioles, who won the final three games of the series after dropping the opener. Baltimore went 5-3 against Chicago this year, its first series win over the White Sox since 1999.

The Orioles have their first three-game winning streak under interim manager Dave Trembley, who is 12-10 since taking over for Sam Perlozzo.

Jermaine Dye homered twice for Chicago, his 16th career multihomer game and second this season.

Olson (1-0) allowed two runs, six hits and three walks in five-plus innings. It was his second big league start since being called up from Triple-A Norfolk to replace injured Steve Trachsel in the rotation.

Trachsel is expected to come off the disabled list this week, meaning the 23-year-old Olson will probably be headed back to the minors. But at least the left-hander will have a positive memory to take with him.

After failing to get out of the fifth inning in his first start on July 4 against the White Sox, Olson showed far more poise the second time around. He overcame two walks in a scoreless first inning, struck out the side in the second despite allowing a hit and a walk, and worked a perfect third.

Dye homered leading off the fourth, but Olson retired the side after the White Sox put runners on the corners with one out.

Chris Ray, the fifth Baltimore pitcher, worked the ninth for his 16th save.

Contreras (5-11) gave up five runs and 10 hits in six innings. The five-year veteran has lost four straight decisions for the first time in his career, and is 1-7 with a 6.92 ERA in his last nine starts.

Baltimore went up 2-0 in the first on a two-run, two-out triple by Huff.

Roberts led off the third with his sixth home run. Patterson followed with a single, stole second and scored on a double by Nick Markakis.

Dye hit his 250th career homer in the fourth. Patterson countered in the fifth inning with his fourth homer, the second in three games, a shot that struck the right-field foul pole.

Dye chased Olson with a drive to right leading off the sixth. Chicago added a run in the seventh off Paul Shuey on an RBI double by Tadahito Iguchi.

Notes: Chicago permitted 21 straight steals before Toby Hall caught Paul Bako in the second inning. It was the first time in 11 tries this season that Hall threw out a would-be basestealer. ... Three of Patterson's four homers have come against the White Sox. ... Contreras gave up two homers for the second time in 18 starts this season.