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A's try to snap epic slide in opener with White Sox

Jun 9, 2011 - 4:53 PM (Sports Network) - A nine-game losing streak is bound to have consequences and for Bob Geren, the fallout resulted in the loss of his job as manager of the Oakland Athletics.

With Geren relieved of his duties early on Thursday, it will be Bob Melvin who guides the A's tonight in the opener of a four-game series with the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.

Oakland's current slide is the club's longest since it dropped 10 in a row from July 28-Aug. 7, 2008 and was extended with Wednesday's 3-2 setback to Baltimore. That was enough for team vice president and general manager Billy Beane, who made the switch from Geren to Melvin on an interim basis for the rest of this season on Thursday.

Geren had served as the Athletics' manager since Nov. 17, 2006 and went 334-376 in his four-plus seasons at the helm. Oakland went 27-36 under Geren this year and currently sits last in the American League West, eight games back of first place.

In Wednesday's loss, Coco Crisp notched a sacrifice fly and Jemile Weeks picked up his first major-league hit, a third-inning double, while finishing 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored.

"We need to play better," Geren said. "First pitch on -- every single inning."

The task of turning the A's around now falls to Melvin, who has previously served as a major league manager with Seattle (2003-04) and Arizona (2005-09), and is the Diamondbacks' all-time winningest manager with a 337-340 mark.

Getting the call for the A's this evening in Melvin's debut will be righty Trevor Cahill, who is 6-3 with a 2.65 earned run average, but is winless in his last five starts. Cahill was awful his last time out in Boston, as he allowed five runs and eight hits in seven innings, but escaped without a decision in his team's 9-8 loss.

That outing followed up a loss to New York that saw him surrender four runs in six innings. Cahill's loss that day was actually the start of the A's drought.

Cahill's skid started with a loss to the White Sox on May 15. He is 1-2 in seven starts against them with a 3.70 ERA.

The White Sox were denied a sweep in their three-game set with the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday, as they dropped a 7-4, 10-inning decision.

Sergio Santos (2-2) took the loss when he allowed the go-ahead runs to cross the plate in Chicago's third defeat in five contests.

Carlos Quentin went deep twice for the White Sox, which accounted for three of their four runs.

"I think it was a good series. Obviously, you want to pick up that last (game)," said Chicago second baseman Gordon Beckham.

Tonight, Chicago will rely on left-handed veteran Mark Buehrle, who has won four of his last five decisions. Buehrle defeated the Detroit Tigers on Friday, holding them to three runs and 10 hits in six innings, running his record to 5-4 to go along with a 3.95 ERA.

Buehrle beat the A's back on May 15, but is a mere 5-13 lifetime against them with a 3.73 ERA in 28 games, 24 of which have been starts.

Chicago has split its six games with the A's this season.