Oakland @ Chicago preview
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Last Meeting ( Jul 30, 2010 ) Oakland 1, Chi. White Sox 6
There seems to be no immediate end to the hot streak of the Chicago White Sox.
The hottest team in baseball simply refuses to lose. The White Sox win road games, home games and even games started by a rookie pitcher called up earlier in the day to take the mound in his first major league appearance.
The White Sox recalled Lucas Harrell from Triple-A Charlotte to start Friday night against the Oakland Athletics after scheduled starter Daniel Hudson was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
In what might be his only start for Chicago, Harrell held Oakland to one run in six innings in a 6-1 win.
That's the way it's been going for the White Sox, who have won five straight and 12 in a row at home. Should Chicago win the second contest of the series on Saturday, it will match its longest home winning streak since taking 13 in a row from July 1-Aug. 5, 1989.
The season began to turn around for the White Sox on June 9. Chicago has won 19 of 20 at U.S. Cellular Field and is 32-11 overall since then.
Individually, John Danks is one of the hottest pitchers in baseball. The left-hander has won seven of his last nine starts, including his last four.
Danks has pitched at least seven innings on six occasions in that stretch, which provides a welcome thought to the bullpen.
Other than backing into a victory on July 15 when he allowed six runs in six innings against the Minnesota Twins, Danks has been outstanding in his winning streak. In two starts against the Seattle Mariners and one against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, he has allowed one earned run and 10 hits in 24 1/3 innings.
The only pitcher to stop the White Sox lately has been Dallas Braden, who will start for Oakland on Saturday. The left-hander held Chicago to three runs in 6 1/3 innings in Oakland on Sunday in a 6-4 win. It was Braden's first victory since pitching a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Mother's Day.
Even with his latest win, Braden has struggled since entering the record books. He went 10 starts between victories and spent a month on the disabled list with a sore elbow.
Injuries have been a problem for Oakland's pitching staff all season.
The A's placed closer Andrew Bailey on the disabled list with a rib strain on Friday. Right-hander Michael Wuertz and left-hander Craig Breslow will share the closer's role while Bailey is sidelined.
Oakland has lost three of four and has fallen back to .500.