White Sox 4, Athletics 3
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Left-hander John Danks threw seven solid innings and right fielder Avisail Garcia went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs as the Chicago White Sox defeated the Oakland A's 4-3 on Saturday night at O.co Coliseum for their season-high fourth straight victory.
The White Sox (16-17) beat Oakland for the second straight time and won their fourth straight series. They'll go for a three-game series sweep Sunday afternoon.
Danks (2-3) held the A's to two runs on eight hits. He struck out six and walked three, improving to 7-3 in his career against Oakland.
The A's (13-25), who own the worst record in the major leagues, lost their third straight game and for the ninth time in their past 10 games.
The White Sox pounded out 13 hits. Left fielder Melky Cabrera went 3-for-5 with an RBI and scored twice. First baseman Jose Abreu extended his hitting streak to 11 games, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Center fielder Adam Eaton had two hits in five at-bats and scored twice.
Designated hitter Billy Butler hit a two-run homer in the first inning and went 2-for-4 for the A's. Shortstop Marcus Semien had two hits in four at-bats and scored a run.
A's right-hander Jesse Chavez allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings but got a no-decision. Chavez struck out three, walked two and threw two wild pitches in his fifth start of the season. He left with the score tied 2-2.
The White Sox scored two times in the seventh, taking a 4-2 lead, as the A's bullpen had yet another meltdown.
With two outs, White Sox center fielder Adam Eaton singled on a drag bunt down the first-base line and raced to third when right-hander Fernando Rodriguez threw the ball past first baseman Mark Canha and all the way to the A's bullpen for a two-base error.
Cabrera lined a single to left, driving in Eaton. Then Abreu hammered an RBI double to left center off Rodriguez (0-1), who took the loss. A's left-hander Fernando Abad came on to strike out designated hitter Adam LaRoche for the third out.
The A's scored a run in the eighth, cutting Chicago's lead to 4-3. Center fielder Billy Burns led off with a single and moved to third on Semien's single against left-hander Zach Duke. Right fielder Josh Reddick grounded into a double play as Burns scored.
Butler and catcher Stephen Vogt hit back-to-back singles, but closer Daniel Robertson came on to retired third baseman Brett Lawrie on a fly ball to center. Robertson pitched a perfect ninth and picked up his eighth save.
The A's took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Semien hit an infield single with one out and Butler launched an opposite-field, two-run shot over the high wall in right-center field with two outs. The home run was Butler's fourth of the season and first since April 22 against the Angels.
Chicago pulled even with two runs in the third. Eaton singled to left with one out and moved to third on Cabrera's single.
Chavez struck out Abreu but walked LaRoche, loading the bases. Garcia fell behind 0-2 but worked a full count and lined a two-run single to center in a nine-pitch at-bat.
NOTES: RHP Jeff Samardzija will make his first start Sunday against the Oakland A's since they traded him to the Chicago White Sox on Dec. 9 as part of a six-player deal. "I always describe this place a lot like Wrigley (Field) in a way where as soon as you walk in it's a different feeling, a different little aura about it," Samardzija said Saturday of the O.co Coliseum. "So it's cool. It's good to be back here. They have great fans and you always know they're going to play hard." Samardzija went 5-6 with a 3.14 ERA in 16 starts for Oakland last season after being acquired on July 5 from the Cubs. ... A's INF/OF Ben Zobrist will run the bases Sunday for the first time since undergoing surgery April 28 to repair torn meniscus in his left knee. If all goes well, he'll likely run the bases one more time then begin a rehab assignment Tuesday or Wednesday, A's manager Bob Melvin said. Melvin is hopeful that Zobrist will be activated May 25 when the A's open a seven-game home stand against Detroit. ... Oakland LF Coco Crisp was moved from leadoff to seventh in the batting order in hopes of getting him out of his slump. "He'll get going and then we'll move him back in the leadoff spot because that's where we need him," Melvin said. ... When the White Sox open a seven-game homestand Monday against Cleveland, they will face right-hander Corey Kluber, the 2014 American League Cy Young Award winner, who had 18 strikeouts in eight innings Wednesday against St. Louis.