A's Mazzaro blanks White Sox in debut

Put the White Sox against Roy Halladay. Give them Zack Greinke, Cliff Lee or Justin Verlander.

At least the Sox' offense seems to have a fighting chance against some of those more established American League starters.

But put them up against a fresh-scrubbed rookie and cover your eyes.

"I guess you could call it coincidence," left fielder Scott Podsednik said after the White Sox lost to Vin Mazzaro and the Athletics 5-0 on Tuesday night at U.S. Cellular Field. "I don't know."

Know this about young pitchers starting against the Sox for the first time this season - they are 5-1 with a 1.57 ERA after the 22-year-old Mazzaro pitched 61/3 innings and allowed 3 hits and 4 walks while winning his major-league debut.

"I was really happy for him," Oakland manager Bob Geren said. "It's a good team and a good park to hit in, so it was a tremendous first game."

Rather than criticize his offense for being shut out for a major-league-leading seventh time, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen also heaped praise on Mazzaro.

"Of all those guys we've faced, all those rookie pitchers, this guy's got some of the best stuff," Guillen said. "His ball was moving a lot, he threw a big-time changeup, and he threw strikes."

Mazzaro also threw a lot of pitches (50) in the first two innings, showing an obvious sign of nerves. But instead of taking advantage of the young right-hander and rolling to their fifth straight win, the Sox helped Mazzaro out.

In the first inning, Podsednik led off with a single and stole second base. With Jermaine Dye at the plate with one out, Mazzaro picked off Podsednik and the tone for the game seemed to be set.

"That took the momentum right out of the inning," Podsednik said. "That's something (bench coach) Joey and Ozzie and I have talked about, trying to be a little safer on the basepaths. Getting caught like that just kind of takes the momentum out of the inning.

"I need to improve my rhythm and flow out there. I just don't have that confidence I need right now running-wise, but I'll get it sooner or later."

In the second inning, Wilson Betemit and Dewayne Wise drew consecutive walks with one out, but Jayson Nix flied out and Podsednik popped out.

The A's, meanwhile, sored 5 runs off Sox starter Bartolo Colon in 51/3 innings, but only 2 were earned thanks to another error by third baseman Betemit. Make that 5 for the utility infielder on the season.

"It seems like every time I play him, he makes an error," Guillen said. "It's not easy playing every five or six days, but I need better defense from him."

Scot Gregor's game tracker

Tuesday's grade: D. The White Sox swung, and mostly missed, against another starting pitcher they've never seen before.

Biggest moment: After leading off the first inning with a single and stealing second base, Scott Podsednik was picked off by A's rookie Vin Mazzaro.

Name game: Third baseman Josh Fields is no Joe Crede when it comes to defense, and Wilson Betemit is no Fields.

On tap: A pair of promising left-handers square off tonight. Clayton Richard goes for the Sox, and he's allowed just 2 earned runs over 13 innings while winning his last two starts. Josh Outman, 2-0 with a 2.93 ERA in May, starts for Oakland.

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=298057">Konerko stellar with glove <span class="date"> [6/02/09]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>