OAKLAND, Calif. — After finally achieving his lifelong goal of pitching in the major leagues, Shane Komine gave up a home run on his second pitch.

But Komine, who made his debut with the Oakland Athletics yesterday, didn't let that faze him. The 25-year-old from Honolulu didn't allow any additional runs in six innings of work against Toronto yesterday.

"That (the home run) actually settled me down," Komine said.

Komine, a 1998 Kalani High alum, left with the Athletics leading 2-1, but missed getting a decision when the Blue Jays rallied for three runs in the ninth for a 5-3 lead. Milton Bradley hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth with two outs to give Oakland a 6-5 victory.

A crowd of 29,709 fans watched the game at the Coliseum, including Komine's parents, brother and fiancee, who flew in from Hawai'i.

Komine allowed four hits, walked four and struck out one. He threw 99 pitches in six innings, 53 for strikes.

"The kid showed something special," A's manager Ken Macha said. "A leadoff homer, he could have panicked after that. I was very impressed with him. I really liked the way he drove the ball inside on right-handed hitters."

Macha confirmed Komine had earned a second start.

The A's haven't decided for sure, but it will probably be Aug. 8 in Oakland against Texas, since the A's can juggle their rotation with Thursday's off day.

"Oh man, he was awesome," A's ace Barry Zito said.

"He pounded the zone and did what he had to do. He was very poised. That's what will make him good. There was some questionable calls too. He dealt with it great. He didn't react to the umpire squeezing him. Those things can get into a guy's head, but he didn't let it happen."

Komine said he left 50 tickets for friends and family yesterday.

In the first inning, they watched Reed Johnson hit a Komine curveball over the left-field wall for a 1-0 lead.

"First time they've seen me," Komine said. "First time they've seen the curveball. It happens. I'm glad I got it under my belt. I'll move on and be ready for the next one."

The Athletics tied the game in the second inning on Bobby Kielty's RBI fielder's choice.

Komine earned his first Major League strikeout when he got Lyle Overbay swinging on a 3-2 count to end the third inning.

The Athletics added another run on a Bradley's fielder's choice in the third inning.

Komine retired nine hitters in a row from the middle of the third inning to the leadoff batter in the sixth.

"Usually, the first time through the lineup, everybody is going to take a strike and see what the guy's got," Johnson said. "What he did effective today is (he) got ahead with strike one. He didn't fall behind and let them see three pitches. He ended up being successful with that."

Komine's biggest test came in the sixth.

Troy Glaus walked, Overbay singled and Greg Zaun walked to load the bases. Komine didn't falter, retiring Alex Rios on a liner to second and Aaron Hill on a popup, maintaining the A's 2-1 lead.

"He got two big outs in the sixth inning," Macha said. "He showed a lot, standing up to the pressure. It was just a shame he didn't get a win."

Huston Street (4-3) blew his seventh save in the ninth, but earned the victory when Bradley sent a 2-1 pitch from closer B.J. Ryan (1-1) over the center-field wall in the bottom of the inning. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year kept Komine from a victory over 13-game winner Roy Halladay.

The victory kept the A's in first place in the AL West, a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Angels.

Komine played collegiately at Nebraska and has spent 4 1/2 years in the minors.

A year ago he was rehabbing his elbow with the A's rookie league team in Arizona after reconstructive elbow surgery that threatened his career.

Yesterday, he departed on the A's chartered plane to Anaheim for a first-place showdown that starts tonight.

"It's surreal," Komine said. "It's a great feeling. I put in as much work as I could. I had a lot of help along the way, with the therapists, the pitching coaches, the trainers, and everybody."

What will Komine remember most about his debut?

"Other than the second pitch home run? Just being on that mound and knowing I was where a lot of other guys were who I grew up watching when I was young."