LDN - Sports

Rodon, White Sox down A's

[July 04, 2017] OAKLAND, Calif. -- Left-hander Carlos Rodon turned back the clock to his final two starts of 2016, and that was a good thing for the Chicago White Sox on Monday night.

Rodon allowed two runs and struck out 10 over 6 1/3 innings, leading the White Sox to a 7-2 victory against the Oakland Athletics in the opener of a three-game series at Oakland Coliseum.

Rodon (1-1), the third overall pick in the 2014 draft, made just his second start of 2017 after missing nearly the first three months of the season with left biceps bursitis. He walked three, allowed four hits and came within one strikeout of matching his career high.

In his season debut during a 12-3 loss to the New York Yankees on Wednesday, Rodon gave up three unearned runs but walked six.

Last year, Rodon won his final two starts against the Cleveland Indians and the Minnesota Twins, striking out a combined 21 batters and allowing just two earned runs on five hits.

"It's just one start, but that's closer to where I was, and hopefully I can build off that in the next start in Colorado," Rodon said. "It felt good. A little bit of relief, try to get that first one out of the way and then build off that."

White Sox manager Rick Renteria said he was impressed by Rodon's efficiency in his second start.

"Throwing a lot of strikes, getting after the hitters," Renteria said. "I think it was similar to how he was finishing up last year."

Rodon gave Renteria a scare when he appeared to land awkwardly on a pitch. Renteria and a trainer quickly went to the mound, but Rodon told them he was fine.

"I just slipped a little bit," Rodon said. "That's nothing. I think that was my fault. I just landed a little wrong and had to make an adjustment. I was good.

"The road I've been on lately, they were a little protective, which was good."

Todd Frazier went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs and two RBIs for the White Sox. Melky Cabrera had three hits, including a double, in six at-bats, with an RBI and a run. Willy Garcia went 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, a run and an RBI.

The White Sox, who were swept at home by Oakland in a three-game series June 23-25, won for the fourth time in five games.

A's right-hander Jharel Cotton (5-8) allowed four runs on seven hits over five innings with five strikeouts, two walks, a wild pitch and a balk. He made his first start since a 3-0 victory against the White Sox on June 23, when he threw five shutout innings but had to leave in the sixth with a blister on his right thumb.

"They got the big hits with two strikes," Cotton said. "I got to get better at that. Something I'll work on and get better at for sure. I need to bear down in those situations."

The A's lost their sixth straight game overall and fell for the eighth straight time at home, both season highs.

The White Sox led 4-2 through three innings and scored two more runs in the eighth. They had three hits in the inning, including doubles by Cabrera and Garcia. Chicago padded the lead with a run in the ninth.

Rodon had two strikeouts in the second inning, struck out the side in the third then had two more one-two-three innings in a row.

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White Sox starting pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) pitches against the Oakland Athletics during the fifth inning at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

"He looked confident today," Frazier said. "He was all business. He worked fast, and when he works fast, he's a better pitcher."

After Rodon exited, Anthony Swarzak threw 1 1/3 perfect innings with two strikeouts, and Dan Jennings pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings with a strikeout.

The A's struck out 13 times in the game.

"When we play well, we hit home runs but we also strike out a lot," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "It's been an Achilles heel for us."

The White Sox took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when Frazier hit a leadoff double and scored with two outs on Tim Anderson's single.

Oakland answered with two runs in the bottom of the second. Josh Phegley lined a two-out double, and Rodon walked Franklin Barreto and Matt Joyce, loading the bases. Adam Rosales, the Athletics' No. 9 hitter, lined a two-run single to right field.

Chicago scored three times in the third, moving ahead 4-2. Adam Engel walked with one out and moved to third on Cabrera's hit-and-run single to center. Frazier brought them both home with a two-out double to left and scored on Matt Davidson's double to left-center.

NOTES: White Sox RHP David Robertson was placed on the paternity list and is expected to miss the entire three-game series at Oakland. The White Sox closer remained in Chicago with his wife for the birth of their second child. RHP Gregory Infante was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte. ... White Sox RF Avisail Garcia (left knee soreness) missed his fifth straight game, but manager Rick Renteria said he's doing "very, very well" and should be available to play at some point in the three-game series. ... Oakland 3B/1B Ryon Healy (upper back spasms) did not play Monday, and he remains day-to-day. He left the game Sunday against Atlanta after the bottom of the second inning. ... A's 3B Matt Chapman (left knee cellulitis) was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list and started against Chicago. He went 0-for-4. ... 1B/OF Matt Olson was optioned to Triple-A Nashville. In 16 games over four stints with the A's this season, Olson batted .184 with four home runs and nine RBIs.

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