The Sports Xchange
Jul 5, 2017
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Right-hander Sonny Gray threw six strong innings, rookie Jaycob Brugman hit his second career home run, and the Oakland Athletics defeated the Chicago White Sox 7-4 on Wednesday afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum.
Gray (4-4) allowed two runs on three hits, struck out five and walked two in his third straight quality start.
Brugman went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in the fourth inning and also walked. Jed Lowrie had three hits, drove in two runs and scored once for the A's. Rajai Davis stole four bases, matching his career high, and had two hits and a run.
Matt Davidson and Todd Frazier each hit a two-run homer for the White Sox.
White Sox right-hander Mike Pelfrey (3-7) allowed four runs on five hits over 3 1/3 innings and threw 99 pitches. Pelfrey struck out five and walked three. He fell to 0-6 in six career starts against Oakland, two of those losses coming this season.
The A's grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first. Matt Joyce hit a leadoff double, moved to third on Lowrie's single and scored when Khris Davis grounded into a double play.
Oakland extended its lead to 3-0 in the third. Lowrie grounded a leadoff single to right, Yonder Alonso walked with one out and Bruce Maxwell hit a two-run, opposite-field double to left.
Brugman made it 4-0 with a home run to right-center with one out in the fourth, ending Pelfrey's day. He sent Pelfrey's 3-2 pitch over the right-center field fence. Brugman hit his first home on June 24 on the road off White Sox right-hander James Shields.
Rajai Davis worked a walk against reliever Gregory Infante, then stole second and third without a throw. Joyce walked and stole second without a throw, and Lowrie grounded a two-run single to center past a drawn in infield, increasing Oakland's lead to 6-0.
Davidson cut the A's lead to 6-2 with a two-run blast off Gray in the fifth inning, his 18th home run of the season, after Frazier's leadoff walk. Davidson launched Gray's 2-1 fastball over the center field fence an estimated 424 feet.
The A's added a run in the seventh when Maxwell walked, moved to third on Brugman's single and scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-2.
Frazier sent Sean Doolittle's 0-2 pitch deep into the left field seats with two outs in the ninth and Jose Abreu on base after singling. The home run was Frazier's 16th.
NOTES: Oakland C Josh Phegley was placed on the paternity list and missed Wednesday's game against the White Sox. Phegley is expected to miss the next two games, both on the road against Seattle. C Ryan Lavarnway was selected from Triple-A Nashville and took Phegley's roster spot. ... White Sox RF Avisail Garcia made his second straight start after missing five straight games with a sore left knee. White Sox manager Rick Renteria said Garcia came through his first start with just "normal game soreness" after being out for a few days. ... A's 3B/1B Ryon Healy (upper back spasms) missed his third straight start Wednesday against the White Sox but took ground balls before the game and continued to make progress. ... Chicago RHP David Robertson, missed his third straight game while on the paternity list but he is expected to rejoin the White Sox on Friday when they open a three-game series against the Rockies in Denver. Robertson, Chicago's closer, has a team-high 12 saves.