Giambi homers, Oakland beats White Sox 7-0

June 05, 2009]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Jason Giambi hit a three-run homer and Brett Anderson pitched seven impressive innings, sending the Oakland Athletics to a 7-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday.

Aaron Cunningham added a two-run shot in the ninth for Oakland, which won the final three games of the four-game series.

With top prospect Gordon Beckham making his major league debut at third base, the White Sox were shut out for the major league-worst eighth time this season, twice with Mark Buehrle on the mound.

Beckham went 0 for 3 with a strikeout. He hit into a fielder's choice in his first at-bat.

Anderson (3-5) won for third time in four starts, giving up five hits and striking out four. Oakland has started four rookies in a row for the third time in team history, the last coming in June 1996.

The White Sox have struggled all season against new pitchers. Starters facing Chicago for the first time are 7-1 with a 1.51 ERA in 10 games this year.

Michael Wuertz and Santiago Casilla finished the seven-hitter.

Buehrle (6-2) gave up four runs in eight innings, allowing five hits and three walks, one intentional. He struck out four. Buehrle had gone 101 batters without giving up a walk, before issuing a free pass to Cunningham in the second.

Kurt Suzuki's sacrifice fly in the fourth gave Oakland a 1-0 lead. It scored Matt Holliday, who doubled.

Orlando Cabrera walked to start the sixth and moved up on Adam Kennedy's sacrifice. Buehrle intentionally walked Holliday, and Giambi drove an 0-1 pitch to right for his eighth homer.

Octavio Dotel gave up Cunningham's first homer of the season. Cabrera added a sacrifice fly, raising make Dotel's ERA go from 1.00 to 2.41.

The big news before the game was Beckham's arrival. The University of Georgia product made the majors 364 days after he was drafted No. 8 overall by Chicago last summer. At 22, he is the fastest White Sox first-rounder to reach the majors since pitcher Alex Fernandez made it in 58 days in 1990.

A natural shortstop, Beckham started at third, where Josh Fields has struggled with his glove and bat. Beckham made eight starts at third base in the minors, six at Triple-A Charlotte.

Beckham began the season at Double-A Birmingham and was promoted to Charlotte on May 28. Combined in the two stops, he batted .326 with four homers, 23 doubles and 25 RBIs in 45 games.

Notes: Oakland OF Ryan Sweeney will have an MRI on his knee Friday. "He's better today," manager Bob Geren said. "The soreness has decreased." Sweeney is day to day. ... Oakland DH Jack Cust wasn't in the lineup because of a sore back. ... Attendance was 18,219.

[Associated Press]

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