White Sox 4 - 5 Athletics
Final
  for this game

Streaking Athletics kick off set with White Sox

May 12, 2014 - 2:40 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Oakland Athletics look to keep rolling when they begin a three-game series Monday versus the Chicago White Sox.

The Athletics have won four in a row and swept the Washington Nationals in three games this weekend, capping the set with Sunday's 9-1 victory. Derek Norris hit a pair of three-run homers to stake the A's to an early 7-0 lead after two innings and Nick Punto added three RBI.

"Having arguably one of my best career games as a major league baseball player, it was a great moment," said Norris. "On top of playing the team that traded me for (Nationals starter) Gio Gonzalez, it was off of Gio Gonzalez. It's kind of crazy how it all works."

Brandon Moss ended with three hits and starting pitcher Scott Kazmir pushed his record to 5-1 with seven shutout innings. He scattered four hits, struck out four and did not walk a batter.

Oakland is 4-3 on its 10-game homestand and leads the AL West by three games over the LA Angels.

Jesse Chavez gets the nod for the A's Monday and he lost his last start on Tuesday in an 8-3 defeat against Seattle. Chavez allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings and was 2-0 in his previous three outings.

Chavez, a right-hander, will make his first career start against the White Sox and is 1-0 with a 2.92 ERA in seven relief appearances.

The White Sox have lost two straight and three of four games since winning four in a row, and will play their next nine games away from home against Oakland, Houston and Kansas City. Chicago has won four of the last seven road games.

Chicago dropped two of three versus Arizona this weekend and suffered a 5-1 loss in Sunday's series finale. White Sox starter Hector Noesi fell to 0-3 after he was reached for three runs and eight hits in six innings.

"He gave us a chance," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said of Noesi. "He was around the zone, he threw strikes, all that. It's too bad for him, he pitched a good game and nobody else showed up."

Moises Sierra homered and Gordon Beckham ended with a team-high two hits for the Pale Hose. The White Sox have hit seven home runs in the last six games.

In milestone news, White Sox veteran Paul Konerko is three RBI shy of 1,400.

Taking the mound for Chicago Monday will be John Danks. Danks is 3-2 with a 4.93 ERA in seven starts and defeated the Cubs his last time out in an 8-3 victory on Wednesday. Danks fanned eight batters, walked one and allowed three runs in six innings.

Danks had dropped his previous two starts and has experienced plenty of success against Oakland in his career. In nine starts against the A's, the left-handed Danks owns a 6-1 mark and a 2.12 ERA.

The White Sox and Athletics are meeting for the first time this season. Oakland took five of the seven matchups a season ago, including a three-game sweep by the bay from May 31-June 2.

Chicago is 19-41 at Oakland since 2000.






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