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OAKLAND – Eric Chavez homered twice as the Oakland Athletics beat the Detroit Tigers 5-3 on Thursday night. 

Miguel Tejada also homered to extend his hitting streak to 21 games — best in the AL this season. Ray Durham also homered and Chavez drove in three runs as the A’s won for just the third time in nine games. 

Tejada’s tied Montreal’s Jose Vidro for the second-longest in the major leagues this year behind Luis Castillo’s 35-game streak for the Florida Marlins. 

Hiram Bocachica homered for the Tigers, who lost their fifth straight. 

Micah Bowie (1-0) got the final two outs in the fifth inning for his first AL victory and his first big league win since Sept. 23, 1999 with the Chicago Cubs. 

Billy Koch got the final four outs for his 27th save in 32 opportunities. 

A’s starter Aaron Harang got his fifth straight no-decision after lasting 4 1-3 innings. He allowed three runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts. 

Steve Sparks (5-11) allowed four runs – three earned – on six hits over six innings. He is 2-6 over his last 11 starts. 

Tejada hit his 24th home run of the season, a solo shot in the third that made it 1-0. 

Carlos Pena, the A’s opening day starter at first base before a trade on July 6 sent him to Detroit, tied the game in the fourth with a single to score Rob Fick, who doubled.