By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

BALTIMORE (AP) — Rookie Wei-Yin Chen struck out a career-high 12, Matt Wieters hit a three-run homer and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Oakland Athletics 6-1 Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.

It was a rare setback for the A’s, who fell to 18-4 this month and 12-3 since the All-Star break. The Athletics need to win one of their next two games to complete the best July in franchise history.

Chen (9-6) allowed one unearned run, three hits and four walks in 5 2-3 innings against a torrid Oakland team that had scored 40 runs in its previous four games.

Alternating an accurate fastball with a sharp-breaking curve, the left-hander struck out every A’s starter except No. 9 hitter Brandon Hicks.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)