White Sox 0 - 2 Athletics
Final
  for this game

A's shut out White Sox

Apr 25, 2012 - 5:56 AM Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Kurt Suzuki's pinch-hit double in the eighth inning brought home the deciding run as the Oakland Athletics defeated the Chicago White Sox, 2-0, in the middle contest of a three-game series.

Tommy Milone (3-1) allowed three hits and struck out five through eight innings to earn the win. Grant Balfour tossed a scoreless ninth inning to notch his fifth save of the year in Oakland's fifth win in eight games.

Gavin Floyd (1-3) suffered the loss despite giving up one run on two hits and two walks in 7 1/3 innings.

"You don't like to see anybody pitch like that and be on the wrong side of it," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said about Floyd.

The White Sox had won their last four games and six straight on the road entering Tuesday's contest.

After stranding a runner on second in the fourth and fifth innings, Oakland was finally able to break through in the eighth inning after Daric Barton led off the frame with a walk.

Luke Hughes followed by going down swinging and Floyd was replaced on the mound by Matt Thornton.

Suzuki stepped up to the plate next as a pinch-hitter and pulled a 1-1 fastball that landed right on the line in left field for a double to bring Barton all the way around the bases.

Suzuki then moved to third on Jemile Weeks' groundout before coming home on an Eric Sogard base hit to left.

"Tommy (Milone) pitched an unbelievable game and we felt like it was up to us to get out there and get him a run," said Sogard. "We put everything we had together and we ended up getting the win."

The White Sox did not have a runner advance further than first base in the game until Kosuke Fukudome slapped a pinch-hit single back up the middle in the ninth and moved all the way to third on defensive indifference during Adam Dunn's pinch-hit appearance.

Dunn, though, fanned on a 3-2 fastball outside of the zone to end the game.

Game Notes

Chicago's Alex Rios went 0-for-3 to snap his 11-game hit streak...Floyd fell to 3-2 in eight career starts against Oakland...The Athletics went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left four men on base.






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