Braden shuts down White Sox in A's 6-2 win

Posted July 31, 2010 11:00 pm

By Lindsey Willhite

Optimistic fans weren't the only ones who toughed out trade-deadline fever.

As the clock approached 3 p.m. Saturday, most players and coaches in the White Sox' clubhouse kept one eye on MLB Network's television coverage and the other on the whereabouts of general manager Ken Williams.

A few team veterans even chanted along mirthfully with the MLB graphic that counted down the final seconds to the nonwaiver deadline.

Alas, neither Adam Dunn nor Manny Ramirez nor any other hitter joined the White Sox' pursuit of the Central Division title.

"I'll be honest," Williams said. "I was really optimistic on a couple of fronts that we would be able to add to this team without subtracting anything.

"Unfortunately, everything that presented itself over the last number of weeks - with the exception of the Edwin Jackson thing - it was destructive to what we were trying to do as a ballclub and it would have taken away too much from what's already on the field."

Not only did the front office's final efforts fall flat, the team's 12-game home winning streak flatlined a few hours later.

Oakland left-hander Dallas Braden produced his first 9-inning effort since his perfect game May 9 as the Athletics rolled to a 6-2 victory before 35,852 at U.S. Cellular Field.

The White Sox (58-45) saw their division lead drop to a half-game as Minnesota's Kevin Slowey outdueled Seattle ace Felix Hernandez.

Braden flummoxed the Sox with his unpredictable mix of changeups, fastballs and cutters.

So much for Ozzie Guillen's pregame prediction on his radio show that the Sox would fare better against Braden than in their July 25 loss at Oakland.

"I guess I was wrong," Guillen said. "I think his changeup was outstanding. We kept chasing changeups behind in the count. His cutter was very good."

Braden posted 5 strikeouts and 1 walk while needing 111 pitches to go the distance.

Meanwhile, the Athletics strung together 5 second-inning singles against Sox starter John Danks to grab a 4-0 lead. Danks (11-8) found himself after surrendering a leadoff homer to Kevin Kouzmanoff in the third - he retired 15 out of 16 thereafter - but it was too late.

"I've ended all the streaks this year," said Danks, who suffered the team's previous home loss June 27 against the Cubs.

At least Danks could say that with a smile on his face. The Sox still own 18 wins in their last 20 home games.

"It makes it a lot of fun to show up to the ballpark always feeling like you're going to win every game," Danks said. "Unfortunately today I dug us too deep of a hole."

If there was a game for Danks and Co. to go missing, this was it. The trade deadline's stress claimed much of the front office before the first pitch was thrown.

"I'm going to watch this one from my couch at home," Williams said before the game. "I need some sleep. The rest of my staff is going home as well. We'll phone this one in."

Lindsey Willhite's game tracker

Oakland 6, White Sox 2

Andruw bombs: Right fielder Andruw Jones' long homer to left-center in the seventh inning provided both of the White Sox' runs.

Dayan stays: Sox GM Kenny Williams said no trade suitors bothered to ask about Dayan Viciedo because they know how much he loves the 21-year-old rookie's bat. Viciedo scorched a single and a double in 4 at-bats.

Edwin arrives: When the Sox couldn't make a deal Saturday, starting pitcher Edwin Jackson showed up at The Cell and learned he will make his first start Wednesday at Detroit - one of his four former MLB teams.