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Oakland Athletics Sweep White Sox
Pinder score from first base – A’s beat White Sox 3-2
Oakland Athletics’ Chad Pinder (18) celebrates with Mark Canha, left, and Franklin Barreto (1) after scoring the game winning run against the Chicago White Sox at the end of a baseball game Sunday, July 14, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. Pinder scored on a throwing error by Chicago’s Jose Rondon. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
2019.07.14 – Chad Pinder scored all the way from first base on Rondón’s throwing error trying to start a double play, and Oakland beat Chicago 3-2 on Sunday completing an A’s sweep.
Pinder liked his chances of getting to second base when a grounder by Ramón Laureano in the ninth inning took White Sox shortstop Jose Rondón deep in the hole.
Once Rondón’s throw sailed wide for an error, Pinder popped up and kept running.
“Anytime there’s a backhand like that in the hole, there’s a chance you can get in at second base,” Pinder said. “As I’m sliding I kind of saw the second baseman lunge a little bit and saw the ball roll over. Anytime that happens, you’re thinking extra bases, not just one.”
Pinder singled as a pinch-hitter off Jace Fry (1-4) to begin the ninth. Laureano, who homered in the eighth to tie it at 2, followed with a sharp grounder to the left side of the infield.
Rondón made a backhanded stop, hurried and threw on the run. But the ball sailed past second baseman Yolmer Sánchez and rolled into the large foul territory near Chicago’s bullpen, and Pinder scored standing up.
“I didn’t have the best angle to throw the ball and it goes away,” Rondón said through a translator. “This is a huge ballpark with a wide foul territory. When you make a bad throw (the runner) is going to have a pretty good chance to run around the bases.”
After acquiring pitcher Homer Bailey from Kansas City earlier in the day, the A’s completed a three-game sweep. They have won 10 of 12 to put themselves in solid playoff contention.
“A little unorthodox,” manager Bob Melvin said. “Some momentum swings with the play at the plate. We’ve seen a couple of those here recently that didn’t go our way. You just plow forward and expect to win.”
Mark Canha had two hits and Matt Chapman added an RBI for Oakland.
The A’s missed a chance to take the lead in the eighth after getting runners on the corners with no outs. Khris Davis fouled out to right fielder Ryan Cordell, who caught the ball in the White Sox bullpen, then threw to home to get a sliding Chapman at the plate. The play was reviewed and the call stood.
Liam Hendriks (4-0) retired three batters to win.
Eloy Jiménez homered for the White Sox. Sánchez had two hits and Rondón had an RBI double. Chicago was outscored 21-5 in the three games.
Jiménez entered the day tied for the lead in home runs among rookies in the AL, then padded that total with his 17th in the seventh against starter Brett Anderson.
Oakland tied it on Laureano’s fourth home run in five games, a solo drive to right-center off reliever Evan Marshall, who had just entered the game.
White Sox starter Reynaldo López allowed an unearned run, had seven strikeouts in six innings and left with a 2-1 lead. It’s the first time in 11 starts that the right-hander has not allowed a home run.
HURTS, DON’T IT?
Anderson’s day got off to a rough start when he appeared to get hurt after giving up Rondón’s RBI single in the second. Turns out Anderson stubbed his toe on a batting donut while backing up home plate. “Just one of those fluke plays,” Anderson said “One of those plays that only happen to me.” The A’s left-hander stayed in the game and allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings.
DEAL
Bailey will join Oakland’s rotation and is expected to start against Seattle on Wednesday. The A’s got him for minor league infielder Kevin Merrell.
The 33-year-old Bailey is 7-6 with a 4.80 ERA, and he’s been real good in his last seven starts.
SUNNY BLUES
Laureano has made several brilliant defensive plays this season, but the A’s center fielder slipped up when he lost Sanchez’s high fly ball in the sun and allowed it to fall for a double. The ball nearly hit Laureano, who had sunglasses that were on the bill of his cap.
TRAINERS ROOM
Athletics: Jharel Cotton threw 37 pitches and allowed two runs while retiring five batters in a rehab start with Triple-A Las Vegas. The right-hander is attempting to come back from Tommy John surgery last year. Cotton’s comeback was derailed by hamstring surgery in June. . Left-hander Sean Manaea had a second straight rough outing for Single-A Stockton. Manaea allowed five earned runs in 2 1/3 innings on Saturday to go with four strikeouts and two walks.
UP NEXT
White Sox: RHP Lucas Giolito (11-3, 3.15 ERA), fresh off throwing a scoreless inning at the All-Star game, pitches against Kansas City on Monday. Giolito is 6-0 lifetime against the Royals.
Athletics: RHP Daniel Mengden (4-1, 4.73) is unbeaten in three starts since returning from the minors on June 26 for his second stint with the big league club. Mengden faces the Seattle Mariners for the third time this season Tuesday at the Coliseum.
Read more at: Oakland Athletics Media Services / More AP MLB
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
For more on the Oakland Athletics, see the blog at www.EMIsportsCentral.com
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Barreto Homers – A’s rout the White Sox 13-2
Oakland Athletics’ Franklin Barreto swings for a three-run home run off Chicago White Sox pitcher Ross Detwiler in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 13, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
2019.07.13 – Franklin Barreto hit a three-run homer to cap a seven-run first inning and the Oakland Athletics routed the Chicago White Sox 13-2 on Saturday.
Barreto picked on a familiar opponent, and that was plenty for the A’s. Five of Barreto’s nine career home runs have come against the White Sox. He extended the Athletics’ season-high streak to 14 games with at least one home run.
“That’s how our lineup is,” said Matt Olson, who had two hits and scored three times. “Anybody can do damage any day. We’re not relying on one guy every day to come in and produce.”
2019.07.13 (Oakland Athletics vs. Chicago White Sox) See video
2019.07.13 (Oakland Athletics vs. Chicago White Sox) See video
Barreto spent the past two years bouncing back and forth to the minors and was already sent down once this year before the A’s called him up June 30 to replace Jurickson Profar as their everyday second baseman.
Barreto’s second stint with the big league club got off to a shaky start and he was batting .087 (2 for 23) until his home run off White Sox reliever Ross Detwiler.
“I was looking for a pitch that I could make good contact on,” Barreto said through a translator. “He gave me a curveball and I put a good swing on it.”
Matt Chapman had three hits and scored twice for the A’s, who have won nine of 11. Marcus Semien added two hits and Robbie Grossman drove in three runs.
Chris Bassitt (6-4) pitched six scoreless innings and struck out six.
Semien and Chapman started Oakland’s early barrage with back-to-back doubles off Dylan Covey (1-5). After Olson and Khris Davis walked, Grossman’s two-run single made it 3-0.
Chris Herrmann added an RBI single to chase Covey before Barreto’s home run.
Oakland scored four more in the fourth and made it 12-0 in the sixth when Ramón Laureano was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Covey couldn’t overcome command issues after being activated off the injured list before the game. The right-hander allowed six runs, walked two and gave up four hits in his first start since June 5 because of shoulder inflammation.
“These are probably tough of the toughest games or the worst games that I can remember for us,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. “That’s a good club and they’re showing they’re a good club. We’ve got to be able to hold our own with them and today we didn’t.”
Blake Treinen allowed two runs in the White Sox seventh and has a 6.11 ERA over his last 18 games. Treinen leads the A’s with 16 saves this season but was replaced as the closer by Liam Hendriks after going on the injured list with a strained right shoulder in late June.
DOING THE EXTRA THINGS
The A’s have had two or more extra-base hits in 26 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in Oakland history.
AT LEAST HE STARTED WELL
White Sox catcher Zack Collins struck out in his first two plate appearances and was in an 0-for-23 funk since homering in his first major league at-bat against Texas on June 21 before hitting a one-out single in the seventh.
ROSTER MOVE
Chicago right-hander Juan Minaya was designated for assignment to make room for Covey. The 28-year-old reliever had a 3.90 ERA in 22 games this season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: SS Leury García came out of the game in the sixth after twisting his ankle while striking out in the fifth. Renteria expects García to play Sunday.
Athletics: OF Stephen Piscotty’s sprained right knee has healed enough to allow him to run the bases on Sunday. Piscotty could be activated off the injured list next week if all goes well. … C Nick Hundley (back spasms) has started a rehab assignment in the Arizona League.
UP NEXT
Oakland LHP Brett Anderson (9-5, 3.86 ERA) has won three of his previous four starts. His nine victories overall are two more than he had in the previous three seasons combined. Anderson last pitched against the White Sox in 2011. Chicago RHP Reynaldo López (4-8, 6.34) has one win in nine road starts.
Read more at: Oakland Athletics Media Services / More AP MLB
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
For more on the Oakland Athletics, see the blog at www.EMIsportsCentral.com
EMI Sports Central – EMI Sports Bay Area: Join the conversation on sports news for SF Bay Area teams: Follow @EMIsports on Twitter, “Like” us on Facebook and sign up for our FREE email newsletters.
Fiers wins seventh straight as A’s top White Sox 5-1
Oakland Athletics’ Marcus Semien (10) slides safely next to Chicago White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada with an RBI triple during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, July 12, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
2019.07.12 – Mike Fiers pitched into the eighth inning to win his seventh consecutive decision, Oakland hit three solo home runs and the Athletics beat the Chicago White Sox 5-1 on Friday night.
Fiers stayed busy during the All-Star break and made three trips to the Coliseum to stay on his normal pitching routine.
The payoff? A seventh consecutive win that inched the Athletics a little closer to first-place Houston in the AL West.
“I didn’t want to take off too long and get out of rhythm,” Fiers said. “We had the break but I still have a job to do. It paid off because I felt really good.”
Fiers (9-3) allowed eight hits and struck out four in 7 2/3 innings to remain unbeaten over the past two months. Fiers, whose streak began with his second career no-hitter on May 7 against Cincinnati, pitched with runners on base in nearly every inning but worked out of trouble each time.
Yusmeiro Petit and Joakim Soria combined to retire three batters. Liam Hendriks struck out Yoán Moncada with runners on first and third for his sixth save.
“There’s still a lot of value in a starter that might not throw too terribly hard but a guy that you can throw a lot of pitches with and can do some different things and get you different looks,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. “He might not strike out 10 guys and overpower you but in his own way he does.”
Ramón Laureano, Jurickson Profar and Mark Canha went deep for the A’s. Laureano and Profar went back-to-back in the second inning, the sixth time this season that Melvin’s club has hit consecutive home runs.
Marcus Semien had an RBI triple and Matt Chapman singled twice. Every A’s starting position player collected at least one hit.
Oakland has won eight of 10 and moved within six games of Houston in the AL West.
Moncada had three singles for Chicago to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. The White Sox have lost six of their last seven games at the Coliseum.
“We strung some things together but we weren’t able to get a big hit or put any runs across,” Chicago manager Rick Renteria said. ”(Fiers) seemed to be able to get himself out of some jams. He pitched very well.”
The A’s backed Fiers by homering in their 13th consecutive game, matching their season high.
Laureano hit his 17th home run on a 2-2 pitch from Chicago starter Iván Nova, a towering drive into the second deck in left field. Two pitches later Profar hit his 11th homer to right field. Canha homered off Nova in the sixth.
“We feel good throughout our lineup,” Melvin said. “It’s not like we have to take a break and swing back around to the top of the lineup to feel like we have to score runs.”
NOVA’S NIGHT
Nova (4-8) beat the Chicago Cubs in his last outing to halt a seven-start winless streak but couldn’t make it two in a row. The right-hander allowed 10 hits and four runs in six innings.
“We didn’t get the results that we wanted but we feel good about it,” Nova said. “The first two months really killed me but I’m pitching better.”
ROSTER MOVE
The White Sox called up first baseman A.J. Reed from Triple-A Charlotte before the game. Reed, who was claimed off waivers from Houston on Monday, went 1 for 4 as Chicago’s designated hitter.
TRAINERS ROOM
Athletics: LHP Sean Manaea (shoulder surgery) will start for Double-A Stockton on Saturday. RHP Jharel Cotton (elbow surgery, hamstring surgery) will make a rehab start for Triple-A Las Vegas.
UP NEXT
Oakland RHP Chris Bassitt (5-4, 4.29 ERA) is winless in two career starts against the White Sox. White Sox manager Rick Renteria has not named a starting pitcher, although RHP Dylan Covey (1-4, 4.58) is expected to be activated off the injured list to make the start.
Read more at: Oakland Athletics Media Services / More AP MLB
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
For more on the Oakland Athletics, see the blog at www.EMIsportsCentral.com
CACHE CREEK – CASINO RESORT
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Oakland Athletics Complete an Orioles Sweep
Oakland Athletics’ Josh Phegley hits a three-run home run against the Baltimore Orioles during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, June 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
2019.06.19 – Chris Bassitt took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and the Oakland Athletics complete a three-game sweep as the A’s beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-3 at the Oakland Coliseum.
Bassitt (4-3) allowed two hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings, striking out six and walking three. The right-hander retired 16 of the first 18 batters he faced and didn’t give up a hit until Jonathan Villar lined a 3-2 pitch for a single with one out in the sixth.
A torn piece of skin on the middle finger of his pitching hand gave Bassitt a few problems early. A lapse in focus later nearly cost the Athletics righty his best outing of the season.
“I felt a whole lot better than I have the last couple of outings,” Bassitt said. “For a couple outings I went into this weird mode where I was trying to throw strikes, and that’s not me. I’m just trying to throw a fastball by you 80 times a game.”
Bassitt and pitching coach Scott Emerson came to a conclusion prior to his 11th start Wednesday: He is not a strike thrower, and shouldn’t try to be one.
“I was trying to be a strike thrower for two, three outings and it’s more like, whatever you got, fastball, slider, changeup, just throw the crap out of it,” Bassitt said following the win.
It was a key start that stopped the bleeding for Bassitt, who took the mound having compiled a 5.88 ERA over his past five starts, his strikeout rate dipping down to 6.58 per nine innings. His first five starts saw a 1.93 ERA with a 10.47 strikeout rate.
Manager Bob Melvin nearly had to replace Bassitt in the first inning. He tore a piece of skin on his finger throwing a pitch to No. 2 hitter Anthony Santander, then hit Trey Mancini in his left elbow before a team trainer came out and clipped the loose skin off Bassitt’s finger.
“He was fine after that,” Melvin said “It’s the best we’ve seen him early in a game in a while. That was as good as stuff as we’ve seen him have in a while.”
Another big day from Oakland’s offense made both issues irrelevant.
Josh Phegley had a three-run homer, Marcus Semien extended his hitting streak to 16 games and Stephen Piscotty doubled twice to help the A’s complete a three-game sweep. Oakland won six of seven games against Baltimore this season.
Villar had two overall. Renato Núñez added an RBI single for the Orioles.
“We’re not playing well and it’s frustrating,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. “Early in the year we were competing really well and losing a lot of close games. The last two series we have not played good baseball. We made some elementary mistakes today . things that shouldn’t be done here at this level.”
A day after the A’s set a season high with six home runs, Phegley homered against Josh Rogers (0-1) in the fifth after Piscotty doubled and Chad Pinder was hit in the helmet.
Bassitt cruised through the first five innings but immediately got into trouble following Villar’s single in the sixth. After Anthony Santander flew out, Bassitt walked Chris Davis and Chance Sisco and allowed an infield single to Núñez that drove in Villar.
Reliever Ryan Buchter walked Rio Ruiz with the bases loaded to force in another run before Hanser Alberto struck out swinging against Yusmeiro Petit.
“I put it in my head that Chris Davis was going to hit a home run off me,” Bassitt said. “For some reason, just blacked out. I pitched around him for some stupid reason. Don’t know why. So I tried to nibble and walked him on four straight.”
Jimmy Yacabonis allowed one hit in two innings as Baltimore’s opener.
SWEPT AWAY
The Orioles were swept for the seventh time this season. Baltimore hasn’t won a series since taking two of three from the Chicago White Sox in late April.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: Mancini left the game with a left elbow contusion after being hit by a 92 mph sinker from Bassitt in the first inning. X-rays taken were negative. Davis entered as a pinch-runner and replaced Mancini at first base. … Dwight Smith Jr. (concussion) is expected to rejoin the team Thursday in Seattle. Smith has been on the injured list since June 7.
Athletics: Sean Manaea will throw a 60-pitch simulated game in Arizona on Thursday and could begin a rehab assignment shortly after that.
UP NEXT
Orioles: RHP Dylan Bundy (3-8, 4.44 ERA) has lost his last two starts entering Thursday’s game in Seattle. Bundy has made it past six innings twice in 14 starts this season.
Athletics: Frankie Montas (9-2, 2.85) takes a career-high five-game winning streak into Thursday’s start against Tampa Bay. The right-hander has faced the Rays once previously, as a reliever last season.
Read more at: Oakland Athletics Media Services / More AP MLB
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
For more on the Oakland Athletics, see the blog at www.EMIsportsCentral.com
EMI Sports Central – EMI Sports Bay Area: Join the conversation on sports news for SF Bay Area teams: Follow @EMIsports on Twitter, “Like” us on Facebook and sign up for our FREE email newsletters.