| Advertisement |
CHICAGO -- A day after giving up a season-high 17 runs to the A's, the Chicago White Sox got some revenge with a 9-4 win over Oakland on Wednesday night at U.S. Cellular Field. Led by four hitters who each drove in two runs, the White Sox charged out to an eight-run lead after four innings and never looked back.
Advertisement
Second baseman Carlos Sanchez, third baseman Mike Olt and first baseman Jose Abreu each hit a home run and had two RBIs. Left fielder Melky Cabrera added a two-run double and two walks.
"It's huge, especially after the two long ones," said Chicago starter Erik Johnson, referring to a pair of long games to start the series. "Those are tough to come back (from), and it puts a little toll on the bullpen, but it's huge to come back and get another 'W.'"
Johnson (2-0) allowed three runs on six hits in six innings for a quality start and the win, his second in three starts since Sept. 1, when he joined the team after rosters expanded.
A's rookie right-hander Cody Martin took his second loss in as many starts since making his first start Sept. 1 against the Los Angeles Angels.
Martin lasted just three-plus innings and allowed six runs on three walks and six hits, including the three Chicago homers. He was recalled from the minors Tuesday to replace Jesse Chavez (ribcage fracture).
"For not throwing in eight days, I thought physically I felt pretty good," Martin said. "I think I got tired. I'm happy I got the opportunity.
"The feel wasn't all there, and I kind of grinded through it. It kind of fell apart, and (they) had that big inning."
First baseman Billy Butler and right fielder Jake Smolinski each hit home runs to lead Oakland (62-84), which lost for the eighth time in its past 10 meetings with Chicago (69-76). The bigger accomplishment for the White Sox, however, was not giving up a lot of runs.
Chicago was outscored 31-14 in its previous three games, including an embarrassing 17-6 loss to the A's on Tuesday. It didn't take long to strike back on Dog Night at the ballpark. The White Sox scored nine runs in the first four innings in front of 823 dogs among the crowd.
The White Sox scored two runs in the first, one run in the third and six in the fourth to take a 9-1 lead and break the game open for Johnson.
Sanchez launched a two-run home run off Martin in the first, Abreu hit a solo shot off him in the third, and Olt's two-run homer in the sixth was one of two hits that each drove in a pair of runs in Chicago's big rally. It also put Olt in the history books as the only player to ever hit home runs for the White Sox and Chicago Cubs in the same season.
"It's pretty cool," said Olt, who started the season with the Cubs and spent most of the summer at Triple-A Iowa. "I'm surprised that it hasn't happened. I guess not a lot of guys get traded over here from the Cubs or the opposite. It was definitely something I'll be able to tell my kids about down the road."
Martin was relieved in the fourth by Pat Venditte, a switch pitcher who came into the game throwing right-handed. Venditte issued three walks to load the bases and score a run before giving up a two-run double to Cabrera.
Butler hit a two-run homer in the sixth to make it 9-3, and Smolinski added a solo shot in the ninth, but the White Sox still had a comfortable lead for the bullpen to close out.
NOTES: The A's selected the contract of LHP Barry Zito from Triple-A Nashville. The 37-year-old veteran thought his baseball career was over after the minor league season ended, and he was writing a song when Oakland GM Billy Beane called him Monday. Zito will pitch out of the bullpen. ... White Sox rookie OF Trayce Thompson was scratched from the lineup because soreness in his left elbow, which he sprained diving for a fly ball on Monday. ... Chicago recalled RHP Scott Carroll from Triple-A Charlotte. Carroll, in his fourth stint with the White Sox, said he returned to Chicago to find that his car had been stolen. He will pitch out of the bullpen. ... Oakland manager Bob Melvin said injured OF Billy Burns (hamstring tightness) will not play in the series. ... A's C Stephen Vogt (groin) took batting practice for the first time since Sept. 6.
