OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Chad Pinder liked his chances of getting to second base when a grounder by Ramón Laureano in the ninth inning took White Sox shortstop Jose Rondón deep in the hole.
Once Rondón’s throw sailed wide for an error, Pinder popped up and kept running.
Pinder scored all the way from first base on Rondón’s throwing error trying to start a double play, and Oakland beat Chicago 3-2 on Sunday.
“Anytime there’s a backhand like that in the hole, there’s a chance you can get in at second base,” Pinder said. “As I’m sliding I kind of saw the second baseman lunge a little bit and saw the ball roll over. Anytime that happens, you’re thinking extra bases, not just one.”
Pinder singled as a pinch-hitter off Jace Fry (1-4) to begin the ninth. Laureano, who homered in the eighth to tie it at 2, followed with a sharp grounder to the left side of the infield.
Rondón made a backhanded stop, hurried and threw on the run. But the ball sailed past second baseman Yolmer Sánchez and rolled into the large foul territory near Chicago’s bullpen, and Pinder scored standing up.
“I didn’t have the best angle to throw the ball and it goes away,” Rondón said through a translator. “This is a huge ballpark with a wide foul territory. When you make a bad throw (the runner) is going to have a pretty good chance to run around the bases.”
After acquiring pitcher Homer Bailey from Kansas City earlier in the day, the A’s completed a three-game sweep. They have won 10 of 12 to put themselves in solid playoff contention.
“A little unorthodox,” manager Bob Melvin said. “Some momentum swings with the play at the plate. We’ve seen a couple of those here recently that didn’t go our way. You just plow forward and expect to win.”
Mark Canha had two hits and Matt Chapman added an RBI for Oakland.
The A’s missed a chance to take the lead in the eighth after getting runners on the corners with no outs. Khris Davis fouled out to right fielder Ryan Cordell, who caught the ball in the White Sox bullpen, then threw to home to get a sliding Chapman at the plate. The play was reviewed and the call stood.
Liam Hendriks (4-0) retired three batters to win.
Eloy Jiménez homered for the White Sox. Sánchez had two hits and Rondón had an RBI double. Chicago was outscored 21-5 in the three games.
Jiménez entered the day tied for the lead in home runs among rookies in the AL, then padded that total with his 17th in the seventh against starter Brett Anderson.
Oakland tied it on Laureano’s fourth home run in five games, a solo drive to right-center off reliever Evan Marshall, who had just entered the game.
White Sox starter Reynaldo López allowed an unearned run, had seven strikeouts in six innings and left with a 2-1 lead. It’s the first time in 11 starts that the right-hander has not allowed a home run.
HURTS, DON’T IT?
Anderson’s day got off to a rough start when he appeared to get hurt after giving up Rondón’s RBI single in the second. Turns out Anderson stubbed his toe on a batting donut while backing up home plate. “Just one of those fluke plays,” Anderson said “One of those plays that only happen to me.” The A’s left-hander stayed in the game and allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings.
DEAL
Bailey will join Oakland’s rotation and is expected to start against Seattle on Wednesday. The A’s got him for minor league infielder Kevin Merrell.
The 33-year-old Bailey is 7-6 with a 4.80 ERA, and he’s been real good in his last seven starts.
SUNNY BLUES
Laureano has made several brilliant defensive plays this season, but the A’s center fielder slipped up when he lost Sanchez’s high fly ball in the sun and allowed it to fall for a double. The ball nearly hit Laureano, who had sunglasses that were on the bill of his cap.
TRAINERS ROOM
Athletics: Jharel Cotton threw 37 pitches and allowed two runs while retiring five batters in a rehab start with Triple-A Las Vegas. The right-hander is attempting to come back from Tommy John surgery last year. Cotton’s comeback was derailed by hamstring surgery in June. . Left-hander Sean Manaea had a second straight rough outing for Single-A Stockton. Manaea allowed five earned runs in 2 1/3 innings on Saturday to go with four strikeouts and two walks.
UP NEXT
White Sox: RHP Lucas Giolito (11-3, 3.15 ERA), fresh off throwing a scoreless inning at the All-Star game, pitches against Kansas City on Monday. Giolito is 6-0 lifetime against the Royals.
Athletics: RHP Daniel Mengden (4-1, 4.73) is unbeaten in three starts since returning from the minors on June 26 for his second stint with the big league club. Mengden faces the Seattle Mariners for the third time this season Tuesday at the Coliseum.
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