White Sox 9, A's 4
CHICAGO -- A day after giving up a season-high 17 runs to the Oakland A's, the Chicago White Sox got some revenge with a 9-4 win of their own Wednesday night at U.S. Cellular Field.
Led by four hitters who each drove in two runs, the White Sox charged out to an eight-run lead after four innings and never looked back.
Carlos Sanchez went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs, Jose Abreu went 1-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs, Melky Cabrera went 1-for-2 with two RBIs and Mike Olt went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs to headline the offensive outburst.
Right-hander Erik Johnson allowed three runs on six hits in six innings for a quality start and the win, which is his second in three starts since Sept. 1, when he joined the team after rosters expanded.
Rookie right-hander Cody Martin took his second loss in as many starts since making his debut as a major-league starter Sept. 1 against the Los Angeles Angels. Martin lasted just three-plus innings and allowed six runs on three walks and six hits, including the homers hit by Sanchez, Abreu and Olt.
Billy Butler and Jake Smolinski each hit home runs to lead Oakland (62-84), which has lost eight of the past 10 games against Chicago (69-76).
The bigger accomplishment for the White Sox, however, was not giving up a lot of runs. They'd been outscored 31-14 in their previous three games, including an embarrassing 17-6 loss to the A's on Tuesday.
It didn't take long to strike back on Dog Night at the ballpark. Chicago scored nine runs in the first four innings in front of 823 dogs among the crowd.
The White Sox scored two runs in the first, one run in the third and six in the fourth to take a 9-1 lead and break the game open.
Sanchez launched a two-run home run off Martin in the first, Abreu hit a solo shot off him in the third, and Olt's two-run homer in the sixth was one of two hits that each drove in a pair of runs in Chicago's big rally.
Martin was relieved by Pat Venditte, a switch pitcher who came into the game throwing right-handed. Venditte proceeded to walk three to load the bases and then score a run before giving up a two-run double to left fielder Melky Cabrera.
Oakland first baseman Billy Butler hit a two-run homer in the sixth to make it 9-3, but the White Sox still had comfortable lead after Johnson gave way to the bullpen for the final three innings.
NOTES: The A's selected the contract of LHP Barry Zito from Triple-A Nashville. The 37-year-old veteran thought his baseball career was over after the minor league season ended, and he was writing a song when Oakland GM Billy Beane called him Monday. Zito will pitch out of the bullpen. ... The A's also recalled RHP Cody Martin to make the start. ... White Sox rookie OF Trayce Thompson was scratched from the lineup because soreness in his left elbow, which he sprained diving for a fly ball on Monday. ... Chicago recalled RHP Scott Carroll from Triple-A Charlotte. Carroll, in his fourth stint with the White Sox, said he returned to Chicago to find that his car had been stolen. He will pitch out of the bullpen. ... Oakland manager Bob Melvin said injured OF Billy Burns (hamstring tightness) will not play in the series. ... A's C Stephen Vogt (groin) took batting practice for the first time since Sept. 6.