Ben Sheets pounded the strike zone like his old aggressive self and finally commanded his fastball, winning for the first time since September 2008 in the Oakland Athletics' 6-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.
Sheets (1-0), who missed all of 2009 recovering from elbow surgery, pitched six scoreless innings and made good for the first time on general manager Billy Beane's bold offseason move of giving him $10 million to be the A's new ace. Beane believed Sheets could return to the form that has made him a four-time All-Star.
The 31-year-old right-hander gave up five hits, struck out four and walked three to win for the first time since a five-hit shutout of San Diego on Sept. 6, 2008, while with Milwaukee.
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