by Jerry Feitelberg

The A’s scored three times in the top of the ninth to rally from a 2-1 deficit to beat the Whites Sox 4-2 Thursday in Chicago. It was a warm and breezy day in the Windy City but after three games of high scores, it turned out to be a pitcher’s duel. Lefty Sean Nolin went for Oakland and he pitched very well. He went 5 innings and allowed just two runs on five hits. The White Sox lefty, Jose Quintana was up to the task and he restricted the A’s to just one run and four hits in seven innings of work.

The A’s put one run on the board in the top of the third. Catcher Josh Phegley doubled to left field leading off the inning. Phegley scored on a single to right by Marcus Semien. The White Sox tied the game in the bottom of the fourth. Third baseman Mike Olt blasted a monster shot to deep left center. Olt has homered in his last two games against the A’s. Olt is the only player in Major League history to homer for both the Cubs and White Sox in the same season.

The White Sox added another run in the fifth. Nolin walked Micah Johnson and Alexi Ramirez to start the inning. Left fielder Melky Cabrera singled to drive in Johnson to give the Chisox a 2-1 lead.
Fernando Rodriguez pitched two scoreless innings for the A’s and Sean Doolittle came through big time as he shut the White Sox down in the eighth and ninth innings. Chicago’s Matt Albers pitched a strong eighth inning to keep Oakland from getting even. The turning point came in the ninth inning. White Sox closer David Robertson was now pitching. Robertson, still in shock from his disastrous ninth inning Monday night, had another rough outing. A’s second baseman Brett Lawrie led off the ninth with a double to left. With one out, third baseman Danny Valencia singled to left. Lawrie made sure the ball went for a hit and was not able to score. Third base coach, Ron Washington, wisely put up the stop sign. Runners are at third and first with just one out. The designated hitter, Billy Butler, hit a long fly to right field. Chicago right fielder Avasail Garcia leaped high for the ball and appeared to have made the catch but coming down his wrist hit the top of the fence and the ball dropped out of glove for a home run. Oakland is in front 4-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth. As mentioned earlier Doolittle pitched the ninth inning. A’s manager Bob Melvin decided to let Doolittle pitch as he threw just fifteen pitches in the eighth. Doolittle did the job and
retired the side to secure the win.

Notes- The A’s split the four-game series with the White Sox. The A’s are on their way to Houston to play the Astros. Houston is now longer in first place in the AL West and trails the Texas Rangers by 1 and 1/2 games. The Astros are now the second Wild Card team and lead the Minnesota Twins by a game and a half.

Felix Doubront will pitch for Oakland on Friday and Mike Fiers will fo for Houston. On Saturday, it will be Sonny Gray going against his good friend Scott Kazmir. Gray beat the Astros and Kazmir last week when the Astros were in town. Game time will be at 5:10 pm PT.