Stephen Ellison

A's Top White Sox on Ninth-Inning Throwing Error

OAKLAND (AP) Chad Pinder liked his chances of getting to second base when a grounder by Ramon Laureano in the ninth inning took White Sox shortstop Jose Rondon deep in the hole.

Once Rondon's throw sailed wide for an error, Pinder popped up and kept running.

Pinder scored all the way from first base on Rondon'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.

Rondon made a backhanded stop, hurried and threw on the run. But the ball sailed past second baseman Yolmer Sanchez 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," Rondon 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 Jimenez homered for the White Sox. Sanchez had two hits and Rondon had an RBI double. Chicago was outscored 21-5 in the three games.

Jimenez 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 Lopez 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.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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