OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Chad Pinder scored all the way from first base when White Sox shortstop Jose Rondon made a throwing error trying to start a double play in the ninth inning and the Oakland Athletics beat Chicago 3-2 on Sunday.
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.
Pinder singled as a pinch-hitter off Jace Fry (1-4) to begin the ninth. Ramon Laureano, who homered in the eighth to tie it at 2, followed with a sharp grounder to the left side of the infield.
Rondon made a backhanded stop, hurried and threw on the run. But the ball sailed past second baseman Yolmer Sanchez and rolled into the large foul territory near Chicago’s bullpen, and Pinder scored standing up.
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 Jimenez homered for the White Sox. Sanchez had two hits and Rondon had an RBI double. Chicago was outscored 21-5 in the three games.
Jimenez 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.
Anderson’s day got off to a rough start when he appeared to get hurt after giving up Rondon’s RBI single in the second. The A’s left-hander stayed in the game and allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings.
White Sox starter Reynaldo Lopez 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.