Giambi homers, Oakland beats White Sox 7-0

There are going to be better days ahead for Gordon Beckham and the White Sox.

There have to be, because it can't get much worse than Thursday.

Not only did the Sox lose their third straight home game against the Athletics (22-30), one of the worst teams in the American League, they were shut out for the second time in the series, 7-0, and the eighth time overall, most in the majors.

Beckham was promoted from Class AAA Charlotte Wednesday night after the White Sox lost to Oakland 5-3. The Sox went down 5-0 Tuesday night.

The 22-year-old prodigy said he didn't sleep a wink after getting the call, and it showed in his major-league debut.

Wearing No. 15 and batting eighth, Beckham was 0-for-3 with a strikeout. He didn't get any chances at third base, and Beckham wasn't able to knock down three hot shots that went for hits in the first, fourth and ninth innings.

"I'm a little drained right now," Beckham said. "Get some rest tonight and be ready to go tomorrow."

Maybe the rest of the White Sox will follow suit after sleepwalking through another loss to the A's.

"It was an incredible experience and I enjoyed every second of it," Beckham said. "Even though I was 0-for-3 and we lost 7-0, I enjoyed it. But tomorrow we need to start winning, for sure."

Beckham figures to play on a regular basis, be it at third base, shortstop or second.

Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was testy after being asked about the top prospect's debut.

"Really bad," Guillen said. "He struck out, I'm not going to say he's good. He'll be all right. But I'm not going to sit down here every day and answer questions about Beckham, guys, please.

"It's like Maradona going to the World Cup. (Beckham's) another player and he had a bad day like everybody else did."

The White Sox put plenty of pressure on A's starting pitcher Brett Anderson, putting the leadoff man on base in the first, second, fifth and sixth innings.

But while losing to an Oakland rookie starter for the third straight game, the Sox were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

"They came here and kicked our behinds, flat-out and just like that," Guillen said. "They came here and played better, they pitched better, they hit when they had the opportunity and we didn't do anything at all this week."

At least the White Sox had some fun in Thursday's loss, even though it came at Beckham's expense.

Sox starter Mark Buehrle warned Beckham about "messing up" in the field and catcher A.J. Pierzynski threw a curveball down to third after a Buehrle strikeout.

"Just try to keep him loose and let him know he's welcome here," Buehrle said. "I was kind of joking with him today, saying, 'You've got to come in here and save this team. Everybody's expecting you to get a hit every time and field every ball that's to you.'

"It's not going to happen, but I think the media's putting a lot of pressure on him. Hopefully, when he struggles he doesn't take it too much to heart."

Scot Gregor's game tracker

A's 7, White Sox 0

Thursday's grade: F. In his big-league debut, Gordon Beckham (0-for-3) fit right in with the Sox' slumbering offense.

Keeping score: Opposing starting pitchers facing the White Sox for the first time this season are now 7-1 with a 1.52 ERA after Oakland's Brett Anderson breezed through 7 innings Thursday.

Tough day: Mark Buehlre is now career 3-12 vs. the A's after pitching 8 innings and allowing 4 runs on 5 hits. Buehrle also had faced 101 straight batters without issuing a walk before Aaron Cunningham ended the steak in the second inning.

Tough day II: Octavio Dotel allowed 3 runs in two-thirds of an inning, snapping the Sox bullpen's scoreless inning streak at 162/3.

White Sox vs. Cleveland Indians at U.S. Cellular Field

TV: Channel 26 today; FOX Saturday; Comcast SportsNet Sunday

Radio: WSCR 670-AM

Pitching matchups: The Sox' John Danks (4-3) vs. Carl Pavano (5-4) Friday at 7:11 p.m.; Gavin Floyd (3-5) vs. Jeremy Sowers (1-2) Saturday at 3:10 p.m.; Bartolo Colon (3-5) vs. David Huff (0-2) Sunday at 1:05 p.m.

At a glance: The White Sox continue their longest homestand (12 games) of the season. After losing three of four to the A's, last in the AL West, the Sox play three against the Indians, last in the AL Central. Cleveland has lost five of its last seven and has nine players on the disabled list, including CF Grady Sizemore (elbow) and DH Travis Hafner (shoulder). The White Sox lost two of three at Cleveland in mid-May.

Next: Detroit Tigers, Monday-Thursday at U.S. Cellular Field. Monday is a day-night doubleheader.

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=298551">The Yawn of a New Era: sleepless Beckham debuts<span class="date"> [6/04/09]</span></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298560">Guillen has some plans for Fields in backup role<span class="date"> [6/04/09]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>