Field Level Media
Aug 10, 2019
Eloy Jimenez slammed the 19th homer of his rookie campaign, Reynaldo Lopez pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings, and the Chicago White Sox held on for a 3-2 win over the visiting Oakland Athletics on Saturday night.
Welington Castillo also drove in a run for the White Sox, who picked up their fifth victory in the past seven games. Tim Anderson extended his hitting streak to nine games with a single in the seventh inning.
Lopez (7-9) earned the victory by scattering six hits, walking three and striking out three. He induced a trio of double-play balls.
A's right-hander Tanner Roark (7-8) drew his first loss since joining Oakland in a deadline deal with the Cincinnati Reds. Roark gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits in 6 2/3 innings. He walked none and struck out seven.
White Sox closer Alex Colome struck out Khris Davis with the bases loaded in the ninth to escape with his 23rd save.
A defensive gem by White Sox right fielder Jon Jay helped save the game for Chicago. The A's loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh. Chicago manager Rick Renteria brought in left-hander Aaron Bummer to face Chad Pinder with the White Sox clinging to a 2-0 lead.
Pinder ripped a pitch into the gap in right-center field, but Jay sprinted to the warning track and made a sliding catch to prevent multiple runs from scoring. White Sox fans offered a standing ovation to Jay for making the catch and Bummer for getting the inning-ending out, which bailed out fellow reliever Evan Marshall after he loaded the bases.
Chicago opened the scoring in the third inning when Leury Garcia scored on a throwing error by A's catcher Chris Herrmann.
Jimenez made it 2-0 in the fifth when he blasted a 2-0 slider over the wall in right-center field. The homer traveled an estimated 410 feet.
After Jay's sliding catch, the White Sox added an insurance run in the seventh. Anderson led off the inning with a single and came all the way around to score on a single to left by Castillo. The A's tried to make a play at the plate but Anderson scored on a head-first slide.
The run proved to be the difference as Oakland scored a pair of runs in the ninth to pull within 3-2. White Sox third baseman Ryan Goins misplayed a short hop, which allowed Marcus Semien to score from third and Pinder to score from second.
--Field Level Media