Chicago White Sox struggle in loss to Oakland Athletics

The Chicago White Sox and Oakland Athletics started a three-game series this past Friday night. The Athletics, though not a great team, did come in on a hot streak and promised to make things tough on the White Sox.

At the end of the game, the Athletics walked away with a sound 7-3 victory over the Sox. Four home runs against and a slow offense took down the White Sox in this game.

White Sox starter Lance Lynn had a shaky game to start but settled in and didn’t pitch that bad for most of the game. But his three home runs allowed really hurt. He had an ERA of 6.42 as he allowed six hits, five runs, and four earned runs. Lynn struck out eight and walked none.

The scoring started off in the bottom of the first as first baseman Jose Abreu hit a single to right field allowing A.J. Pollock to score. That hit came with two outs.

The Chicago White Sox did not play a good game on Friday night at all.

Later, the White Sox fell behind 3-1 after Stephen Piscotty launched a three-run homer into the center field stands. The hit came with no one out and one of the runs to score was aided by an error on Jose Abreu.

Things really slowed down after that as neither team couldn’t get much going until the top of the sixth inning when Seth Brown hit a solo home run to make it 4-1.

Elvis Andrus whacked another home run to left field to make it 5-1 later. That spelled the end of Lynn’s time on the mound as Davis Martin came in in relief. He got the final out of the inning and the Sox headed to the bottom of the sixth down four.

Facing a new pitcher named Domingo Acevedo in the bottom of the seventh, second-baseman Josh Harrison hit a home run that just barely made it into the left-center seats. That scored himself and Eloy Jimenez to make it 5-3. Would the Sox be able to mount a comeback?

In the bottom of the seventh inning, shortstop Tim Anderson disagreed with a called strike, touched the umpire in the head with his helmet, and was thrown out by the umpire. Manager Tony La Russa was thrown out after that.

Leury Garcia would take over for Anderson for the rest of the game. Would this take the wind out of the White Sox sails or fire them up? Brown hit his second home run of the night in the top of the 8th off of Martin to make it 6 – 3.

Unfortunately for the White Sox, Oakland would get an RBI on a bunt by Nick Allen to make it 7-3. This came in the top of the 9th. The White Sox’s final gasp in the bottom of the 9th ended without any runs. They ended up with the loss.

This was a poorly played game by the White Sox in all areas. The error by Abreu was a backbreaker. Tossing out Anderson and La Russa didn’t help the White Sox and they just seemed sluggish. Maybe they can get back in the win column after their next game.

The White Sox will face the Athletics once again on Saturday night. The starter will be Johnny Cueto. Hopefully, Cueto can keep Oakland’s bats at bay while Chicago’s offense finally wakes up after struggling to do that most of the season at Guaranteed Rate field.