ABREU EXTENDS HR STREAK TO 5 STRAIGHT GAMES
15-Hit Attack Key's A's 'W'
OAKLAND, May 12 (AP) - Jose Abreu homered for the fifth straight game, but the
Chicago White Sox fell 6-2 at the hands of the Oakland Athletics at the
Coliseum. Abreu has homered six times during the five-game streak; he
popped two home runs against the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 10. The
streak, which began on May 8 when Abreu accounted for all of the White Sox runs
in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs by drilling a three-run shot off Jake
Arrieta, is the longest in the major leagues thus far this season.
The A's jumped out on top, when Nick Punto drew a lead-off walk from Chicago
starter John Danks, advanced to third on Josh Reddick's base hit and scored when
Craig Gentry lifted a sacrifice fly to center.
But the White Sox fought back to take the lead in the fourth, tying the game on
Abreu's lead-off home run to left-center and taking the lead one out later when
Dayan Viciedo belted his sixth home run of the year.
The lead was short-lived. In the bottom of the fourth, Alberto Callaspo
drew a two-out walk from Danks and scored the tying run when Brandon Moss
followed with a double to left-center.
Oakland took the lead for good in the sixth. Derek Norris led off with a
double into the left field corner and Callaspo's single to left advanced the
runner to third. Moss tapped back to the mound, with Norris holding and
Callaspo taking second. The first pitch to Punto eluded White Sox catcher
Adrian Nieto and Norris tried to score, but Nieto pounced on the ball and
quickly fired to Danks, who was covering the plate, to nail Norris for the
second out. Callaspo advanced to third on the play and scored the
tie-breaking run when Punto doubled to left-center.
The A's broke the game open in the bottom of the eighth off Chicago reliever
Frank Francisco. Norris singled to left and advanced to second on a wild
pitch. Callaspo flied to deep center, with Norris advancing to third and
Daric Barton, who had come into the game for defense in the top of the inning,
singled to center, scoring Norris to increase the lead to 4-2. Punto flied
to right for the second out but Josh Reddick belted a long home run to straight
away right field, plating Barton and giving Oakland a 6-2 advantage. Jim
Johnson came on to mop up in the ninth and secure the victory.
Abreu will attempt to extend his home run streak to six games tomorrow against
the A's and starting pitcher Drew Pomeranz.
5/12/2014, ChA14-Oak14, The Coliseum 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 2014 White Sox 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 8 0 8 1 2014 Athletics 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 3 x 6 15 3 9 1 White Sox AB R H BI AVG Athletics AB R H BI AVG Garcia,Le cf 4 0 0 0 .184 Gentry cf 4 0 1 1 .250 Beckham 2b 4 0 1 0 .263 Lowrie ss 4 0 3 0 .228 Gillaspie 3b 4 0 2 0 .247 Donaldson 3b 5 0 2 0 .291 Abreu,J dh 4 1 1 1 .357 Cespedes lf 4 0 0 0 .222 Dunn,A 1b 4 0 0 0 .212 Norris,De c 4 1 2 0 .279 Viciedo rf 4 1 2 1 .225 Callaspo dh 3 2 1 0 .163 Ramirez,Al ss 4 0 0 0 .288 Moss 1b 3 0 1 1 .261 De Aza lf 4 0 1 0 .263 Barton 1b 1 1 1 1 .179 Nieto c 4 0 1 0 .242 Punto 2b 3 1 1 1 .197 36 2 8 2 Reddick rf 4 1 3 2 .279 35 6 15 6 White Sox INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Danks,Joh L 0-3 6.1 9 3 3 2 2 83 48 5.70 Belisario 0.2 2 0 0 0 0 17 10 0.82 Francisco,F 1.0 4 3 3 1 0 25 14 27.00 8.0 15 6 6 3 2 125 72 Athletics INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Chavez,J W 3-1 6.0 7 2 2 1 6 92 59 2.54 Abad H 3 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 12 8 1.59 Gregerson H 5 1.0 1 0 0 0 3 23 16 1.37 Johnson,J 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 22 15 4.50 9.0 8 2 2 1 11 149 98 Oak: Barton inserted at 1b in the 8th E-Moss, Punto 2. 2B-De Aza(6), Gentry(2), Norris,De(4), Moss(8), Punto(2). HR-Abreu,J(11), Viciedo(6), Reddick(3). RBI-Abreu,J(31), Viciedo(17), Gentry(4), Moss(15), Punto(4), Reddick 2(19), Barton(9). K-Garcia,Le 2, Beckham, Abreu,J, Dunn,A 3, Viciedo, De Aza 2, Nieto, Cespedes, Norris,De. BB-Garcia,Le, Lowrie, Callaspo, Punto. SF-Gentry. WP-Francisco,F 2, Gregerson. GWRBI: Punto Temperature: 67, Sky: clear, Wind: out to right at 9 MPH. Attendance: 17,244 Game Time: 2:36