GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: AL: CHI WHITE SOX (54-64) at OAKLAND (58-62)

AL: CHI WHITE SOX at OAKLAND

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CHI WHITE SOX (2) AT OAKLAND (3) - HOW THEY SCORED
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OAKLAND 4TH: S Stewart flied out to left. N Swisher doubled to left.
J Cust walked. M Piazza singled to right, N Swisher scored, J Cust to second.
M Ellis lined out to shortstop. D Murphy grounded out to third. (1 Run, 2 Hits,
0 Errors) CHI WHITE SOX 0, OAKLAND 1.

OAKLAND 7TH: D Murphy doubled to deep left. J Hannahan sacrificed to
third, D Murphy to third. K Suzuki homered to left, D Murphy scored. T Buck
doubled to deep center, T Buck to third on error by left fielder S Podsednik.
S Stewart popped out to first. N Swisher intentionally walked. J Cust grounded
out to first. (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Error) CHI WHITE SOX 0, OAKLAND 3.

CHI WHITE SOX 8TH: A Embree relieved J Blanton. D Richar struck out
looking. J Owens tripled to deep left. J Fields hit sacrifice fly to center,
J Owens scored. J Dye singled to left. P Konerko doubled to deep left center,
J Dye scored. A Cintron ran for P Konerko. D Erstad grounded out to second.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) CHI WHITE SOX 2, OAKLAND 3.</div>

 

AL: CHI WHITE SOX at OAKLAND

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CHI WHITE SOX (2) AT OAKLAND (3) - EVENT LOG
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Chi White Sox Starting Lineups -- J Owens CF, J Fields 3B, J Dye RF, P Konerko DH,
D Erstad 1B, J Uribe SS, S Podsednik LF, T Hall C, D Richar 2B, M Buehrle LHP.

Oakland Starting Lineups -- T Buck CF, S Stewart LF, N Swisher 1B, J Cust RF,
M Piazza DH, M Ellis 2B, D Murphy SS, J Hannahan 3B, K Suzuki C, J Blanton RHP.

Umpires -- Bruce Dreckman (HP), Gary Darling (1B), Larry Poncino (2B),
Jerry Meals (3B).

Gametime Weather: 66 degrees, Clear, wind out to right at 16 mph.


CHI WHITE SOX 1ST: J Owens singled to left. J Fields struck out swinging.
J Dye flied out to right. J Owens stole second. P Konerko flied out to right.
(0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) CHI WHITE SOX 0, OAKLAND 0.

OAKLAND 1ST: T Buck struck out looking. S Stewart grounded out to
shortstop. N Swisher walked. J Cust flied out to left. (0 Runs, 0 Hits,
0 Errors) CHI WHITE SOX 0, OAKLAND 0.

CHI WHITE SOX 2ND: D Erstad grounded out to pitcher. J Uribe singled to
right. S Podsednik sacrificed to third, J Uribe to second. T Hall grounded
out to second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) CHI WHITE SOX 0, OAKLAND 0.

OAKLAND 2ND: M Piazza grounded out to shortstop. M Ellis struck out
swinging. D Murphy struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors)
CHI WHITE SOX 0, OAKLAND 0.

CHI WHITE SOX 3RD: D Richar grounded out to second. J Owens grounded out
to first. J Fields singled to left. J Dye flied out to center. (0 Runs,
1 Hit, 0 Errors) CHI WHITE SOX 0, OAKLAND 0.

OAKLAND 3RD: J Hannahan lined out to left. K Suzuki grounded out to third.
T Buck flied out to right. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) CHI WHITE SOX 0,
OAKLAND 0.

CHI WHITE SOX 4TH: P Konerko grounded out to third. D Erstad struck out
swinging. J Uribe grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors)
CHI WHITE SOX 0, OAKLAND 0.

OAKLAND 4TH: S Stewart flied out to left. N Swisher doubled to left.
J Cust walked. M Piazza singled to right, N Swisher scored, J Cust to second.
M Ellis lined out to shortstop. D Murphy grounded out to third. (1 Run, 2 Hits,
0 Errors) CHI WHITE SOX 0, OAKLAND 1.

CHI WHITE SOX 5TH: S Podsednik grounded out to second. T Hall grounded out
to third. D Richar struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors)
CHI WHITE SOX 0, OAKLAND 1.

OAKLAND 5TH: J Hannahan doubled to left. K Suzuki bunt popped out to
catcher. T Buck reached on infield single to second, J Hannahan to third.
S Stewart grounded into fielder's choice to pitcher, J Hannahan out at home,
T Buck to second. N Swisher grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop,
S Stewart out at second. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) CHI WHITE SOX 0, OAKLAND 1.

CHI WHITE SOX 6TH: J Owens grounded out to shortstop. J Fields reached on
infield single to shortstop. J Dye struck out looking. P Konerko singled to
right, J Fields to third. D Erstad grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 2 Hits,
0 Errors) CHI WHITE SOX 0, OAKLAND 1.

OAKLAND 6TH: J Cust struck out looking. M Piazza grounded out to
shortstop. M Ellis grounded out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors)
CHI WHITE SOX 0, OAKLAND 1.

CHI WHITE SOX 7TH: J Uribe struck out swinging. S Podsednik grounded out
to second. T Hall lined out to first. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) CHI WHITE SOX 0,
OAKLAND 1.

OAKLAND 7TH: D Murphy doubled to deep left. J Hannahan sacrificed to
third, D Murphy to third. K Suzuki homered to left, D Murphy scored. T Buck
doubled to deep center, T Buck to third on error by left fielder S Podsednik.
S Stewart popped out to first. N Swisher intentionally walked. J Cust grounded
out to first. (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Error) CHI WHITE SOX 0, OAKLAND 3.

CHI WHITE SOX 8TH: A Embree relieved J Blanton. D Richar struck out
looking. J Owens tripled to deep left. J Fields hit sacrifice fly to center,
J Owens scored. J Dye singled to left. P Konerko doubled to deep left center,
J Dye scored. A Cintron ran for P Konerko. D Erstad grounded out to second.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) CHI WHITE SOX 2, OAKLAND 3.

OAKLAND 8TH: E Wassermann relieved M Buehrle. M Piazza flied out to right.
M Ellis grounded out to shortstop. D Murphy popped out to second. (0 Runs,
0 Hits, 0 Errors) CHI WHITE SOX 2, OAKLAND 3.

CHI WHITE SOX 9TH: H Street relieved A Embree. J Uribe struck out swinging.
S Podsednik struck out swinging. J Thome hit for T Hall. J Thome struck out
swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) CHI WHITE SOX 2, OAKLAND 3.</div>

 

Blanton, Athletics shut down White Sox

<h3>OAKLAND 3, CHI WHITE SOX 2</h3>By Tom Kent
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Joe Blanton bounced back tooutduel Mark Buehrle.


Blanton pitched seven scoreless innings and rookie catcher KurtSuzuki belted a two-run home run off Buehrle as the OaklandAthletics defeated the Chicago White Sox, 3-2, on Wednesday.

Entering with a 1-4 record and 7.12 ERA in his last sevenstarts, Blanton was looking to rebound after allowing a careerhigh-tying nine runs and seven hits in his last start againstthe Detroit Tigers on Friday.


"I was trying to block it out," said Blanton of his last start."I just tried to ignore it like it never really happened. Ifyou're thinking about it, you're going to try too hard. Youjust have to block it out and go out there and pitch."

"He pitched a great game," Athletics manager Bob Geren said. "Hewas down in the zone and had his breaking ball working. Itseemed that he was in control of both sides of plate. He fellbehind very few batters, but when he did he still located hisfastball."


The righthander was stellar, yielding just five hits whilestriking five and not walking a batter.


"His last start was rough in Detroit," Suzuki said. "But theguy's got guts. To throw seven shutout innings against theWhite Sox definitely says something about him."


With Oakland holding a 1-0 lead in the seventh, rookie DonnieMurphy doubled to left, setting the stage for fellow rookieSuzuki, who belted an 0-2 Buehrle offering over the left fieldwall for a 3-0 margin.


"I was just trying to hit something in the outfield and scorethe run," Suzuki said. "Me and Ty (hitting coach Ty VanBurkleo) have been working on getting on top of the fastball,and I got to use it. Everything clicked and it was a nicefeeling."


It was Suzuki's third home run since being recalled from ClassAAA Sacramento on June 10.


Buehrle also was coming off perhaps his poorest start of theseason after surrendering a season high-tying seven runs in fourinnings against the Cleveland Indians on Thursday.

"As a starter you want to throw a quality start every time out,"Buehrle said. "If I can throw a quality start like thisthroughout the year, I will be all right. Blanton threw a greatgame though and kept our hitters off-balance. You have to tipyour hat to him."


The three-time All Star allowed three runs and seven hits whilewalking three and striking out three in seven innings.

"Buehrle threw good," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "Itwas just that one bad pitch. He threw the ball real good. Thatpitch was the one that turned the game around, especially theway we've been swinging the bat. He continues to throw well. Hedoes what he supposed to do every day out there."


Trailing, 3-0, in the eighth, Chicago answered back when rookieJosh Fields lifted an RBI sacrifice to left off Oakland relieverAlan Embree and Paul Konerko doubled home a run to cut thedeficit to 3-2.


Houston Street came on in the ninth and set down the side inorder for his 10th save.


Oakland opened the scoring off Buehrle with one out in thefourth inning when Nick Swisher lined a double down the leftfield line for the Athletics' first hit of game. After JackCust walked, Mike Piazza singled to right to plate Swisher for a1-0 edge.


The Athletics have won three games in a row for the first timesince June 13-15.