Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Rich Harden recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts in eight shutout innings as the Oakland Athletics blanked the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-0, in the rubber match of a three-game interleague set.

Harden (5-0) remains perfect on the season after giving up just two hits -- both Shane Victorino singles -- and a walk. He needed just 95 pitches and threw 64 for strikes in another commanding performance, lowering his earned run average to a miniscule 2.15.

"I can't think of a more dominating performance than that one," A's manager Bob Geren said of Harden's start. "When he's on, he's almost unhittable."

Carlos Gonzalez went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, while Ryan Sweeney and Jack Hannahan each scored and drove in a run for Oakland, which has won three of its last four.

Adam Eaton (2-6) dropped his third straight start despite a solid seven-inning effort for the Phillies, who have dropped seven of their last eight. Eaton hurled his 10th quality start of the season, allowing three runs on six hits with three free passes to go with six strikeouts in defeat.

Oakland spotted Harden a quick two-run lead in the first as Sweeney crushed an opposite-field double off the base of the left field wall, allowing Mark Ellis to score easily following his leadoff walk.

Sweeney came home for the second run of the frame on Cust's single up the middle, but came up limping and left the game for good after sliding past Carlos Ruiz's tag.

"It would be nice to actually not give up a couple of runs in the first inning," Eaton said. "It's happened in four starts. With what Harden did out there, it's tough not to fall right behind the eight-ball. Harden really had no-hit stuff. He had our number. I thought I pitched well, except for the home run."

The A's didn't need much more offense as Harden make quick work of the struggling Phils. A lineup change sparked Philly's first win in a week on Wednesday, but the club was stymied by Oakland's ace.

Harden retired the first 14 batters he faced before Victorino blooped in a single to right with two outs in the fifth.

Gonzalez muscled his second homer of the year in the home sixth and Oakland provided two more insurance runs in the eighth. Hannahan doubled in a run and Gonzalez bounced a single in front of Victorino, whose misjudgment of the ball allowed Hannahan to come in for the fifth and final run.

The oft-injured Harden allowed just one baserunner to reach second, as Victorino singled and stole second in the eighth. Harden stranded him with three consecutive strikeouts to put an exclamation point on his outstanding performance.

Alan Embree kept the Phillies off the board in the ninth despite allowing a two-out triple by Pat Burrell.