Trevor Cahill pitched eight strong innings and Josh Willingham drove in two runs as the Oakland A's defeated the visiting Detroit Tigers, 5-1, on Sunday.

Cahill (2-0) allowed a run and four hits with no walks and nine strikeouts as the A's (8-8) earned a split of the four-game series. Casper Wells homered in the sixth for Detroit’s lone run.

Willingham had a two-run single to cap a three-run fifth inning against Detroit starter Brad Penny (0-2) to provide a 4-0 lead. The Athletics took a 5-1 lead in the sixth when Mark Ellis scored on Cliff Pennington’s sacrifice fly.

Penny gave up five runs and four hits in five-plus innings. He struck out five and walked four.

Ellis had two of Oakland's five hits.