3 homers power A's over White Sox

[June 04, 2009]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Bobby Crosby and Landon Powell hit back-to-back homers, Jason Giambi also connected Wednesday night and the Oakland Athletics beat the Chicago White Sox 5-3.

Joshua Outman (3-0) earned the win, allowing seven hits and three runs -- two earned -- over 6 2-3 innings. Andrew Bailey got five outs for his third save in six chances.

Chicago starter Clayton Richard (2-1) gave up seven hits and five runs and surrendered all three of Oakland's homers.

Crosby and Powell hit Richard's first two pitches of the fourth inning over the fence in left center to give the A's a 4-2 lead. Crosby, batting just .138 on the road this season before the game started, snapped an 0-for-15 slump, including a hitless streak of 12 at-bats on the road.

Giambi hit a two-out homer in the fifth, his seventh of the season.

Chicago's Jermaine Dye lined his 14th homer over the center-field wall in the first, following a single by Alexei Ramirez, to give the White Sox a 2-0 cushion.

But Richard struggled in the top of the second, walking two and then giving up consecutive singles to Powell, Aaron Cunningham and Rajai Davis -- the bottom three in the batting order, all hitting under .200 -- to tie the game. The A's still had bases loaded and one out before Orlando Cabrera's grounder to third forced Powell at the plate and Adam Kennedy rolled out to first.

Chicago sliced it to 4-3 in the fourth on singles by Paul Konerko and Josh Fields and a throwing error on A's second baseman Adam Kennedy as he tried to make a relay to first to turn a double play after Brian Anderson's grounder.

But Giambi's homer restored the two-run lead in the fifth.

Notes: The White Sox said they will purchase the contract of infielder Gordon Beckham from Triple-A Charlotte before tomorrow's game against Oakland. The 22-year-old Beckham was the No. 8 overall selection in last year's draft out of Georgia. Infielder Wilson Betemit will be designated for assignment. ... Oakland entered the game last in AL in home runs and now has 42 for the season. ... DeWayne Wise replaced Anderson in center field to start the fifth. ... Opposing pitchers are 6-1 this season when facing the White Sox for the first time in their careers. Oakland's Vin Mazzaro beat the White Sox in his major league debut Tuesday night. ... Many fans were bundled up with temperatures in the low 50s and a chilly wind.

[Associated Press; By RICK GANO]

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