by Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s had their hitting shoes on Tuesday night as they rapped out seventeen hits and beat the Chicago White Sox 11-2. The A’s ace,Jon Lester, went eight innings allowing just two runs on seven hits, He walked two and had eight strikeouts and won his fourteenth game of the year and the first since August 12th. His record for the year is now 14-10. Lefty John Danks started for the White Sox and was tagged with the loss. He gave up four runs,two unearned, as the White Sox were just awful in the field committing five errors in the game.

The A’s got the scoring in the fourth inning. Josh Donaldson singled to get things going. Jonny Gomes followed with a double to put men on at 2nd and third. Donaldson scored on a ground out. Nate Freiman reached on a throwing error that allowed Gomes to score. A’s lead 2-0.

In the fifth, Coco Crisp reached on an error. On the next play, Craig Gentry bunted and but he collided with the first baseman as the throw from Danks caused the first baseman to run into Gentry. The play was ruled a single and an error on the pitcher but Gentry was knocked to the ground in obvious pain as he hit his head in the collision. Gentry left the game and he was diagnosed with a concussion. The A’s scored two more runs in the inning to take a 4-0 lead.

The A’s picked up another run in the seventh to make it a 5-0 lead but the White Sox scored two in their half of the inning . Dayan Viciedo led off with a solo home run. With two out, Lester walked Michael Taylor who scored a double by Carlos Sanchez. Sanchez was thrown out at third trying to stretch it into a triple.

The A’s made the game a rout in the ninth when they scored five times. The A’s were aided by another Chicago error and a wild pitch as the pounded the White Sox by a final score of 11-2

Notes- Josh Donaldson had five hits in the game and had four RBIs. Jeff Samardzija will pitch for Oakland on Wednesday. The A’s looked like the team that was on top until the slide started after the big trade on July 31st.. One game doesn’t make a season but, hopefully, they can get their mojo back.