White Sox 4 - 3 Athletics
Final
  for this game

White Sox take series in Oakland

May 16, 2011 - 1:29 AM

Video

Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Alexei Ramirez hit a solo home run in the fourth and drove in the game-winner in the seventh to help the Chicago White Sox edge the Oakland Athletics, 4-3, in the finale of a three-game set.

Carlos Quentin drove in a run while Omar Vizquel added two hits and a run scored for the White Sox, who have won three of their last four. Mark Buehrle (3-3) got the win as he gave up three runs on seven hits with three walks and six strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings.

Daric Barton drove in two while Coco Crisp hit a solo home run and scored twice for the Athletics, who have lost three of four.

Trevor Cahill (6-1) was tagged with his first loss of the season after giving up four runs -- two earned -- on 10 hits over seven innings. Still, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen thinks the A's pitcher could win the Cy Young Award.

"He could be a serious candidate," said Guillen. "I know it's still early, but I think he has the stuff."

"They've got a great team over there and I didn't have my best stuff," said Cahill, who called Guillen's endorsement a "confidence-booster."

The White Sox took the lead in the fourth thanks to Ramirez's fifth homer of the season, a shot over the left-center wall.

Crisp tied the game in the bottom of the fifth on his second round-tripper of the season, but the White Sox went back on top in the sixth.

Ramirez led off with a single and moved to second when Adam Dunn followed with a walk. Ramirez moved up a base on Paul Konerko's fly out and crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly from Quentin.

The White Sox added to their lead in the seventh. Alex Rios led off with a double and came home when Vizquel reached base thanks to a bad throw to first by Cahill. Later in the frame, Ramirez singled home Vizquel for a 4-1 lead.

The bottom of the seventh saw Oakland make it a one-run game. Consecutive one- out singles saw Buehrle leave the game for Jesse Crain, who got Crisp to hit into a fielder's choice for the second out of the inning. After Crisp stole second, Barton punched a single to center to score both runners to make it a 4-3 game. After Conor Jackson singled, Josh Willingham struck out to end the frame.

Crain got the first out of the eighth then Matt Thornton took over. He struck out David DeJesus, but Mark Ellis singled. However, Landon Powell flied out to end the frame.

The ninth saw Sergio Santos come on to close the game and he walked Cliff Pennington to start the inning. A sac bunt from Crisp got the runner in scoring position and Pennington moved to third on a ground out from Barton. After Hideki Matsui walked, Willingham grounded into a fielder's choice to give Santos his fifth save of the season.

Game Notes

Chicago hosts Texas for two games starting on Monday...Oakland hosts the Angels for a two-game set beginning on Monday...Each team has won three games in the series this season...Oakland went just 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base.






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