Ninth inning rally vaults White Sox to 5-3 win over Athletics
Unlike the night before, when third baseman Yoan Moncada went 5-for-6, hit 2 homers and drove in 5 runs in a 14-2 win at Oakland, the White Sox's offense was slow to warm Friday.
Unlike the night before, when they piled up 21 hits and set season highs in runs scored, home runs (5) and extra-base hits (10), the Sox were seemingly shut down.
It was a strange game, with relief pitcher Austin Pruitt taking the mound for the Athletics after scheduled starter James Kaprielian was scratched with a finger injury.
The White Sox appeared to have caught a break, but Pruitt pitched 5 no-hit innings.
Eloy Jimenez got the White Sox's first hit, a single to left field off reliever Joel Payamps, with one out in the seventh inning.
It wasn't looking good when the Sox were trailing 3-0 with one out in the ninth, but a furious rally resulted in a 5-3 win.
The White Sox have won 8 out of 10 as they try chasing down first-place Cleveland in the AL Central. There's little doubt the good times have been rolling under acting manager Miguel Cairo, who has been filling in for Tony La Russa since Aug. 30 and is 8-3.
"It's fun when you see everybody contributing and adding to the team," Moncada told reporters. "This final stretch, coming in, everybody is trying their best, everybody's having fun, everybody's relaxed and with the results coming to our favor, that helps, too."
Jimenez got the ninth inning rally going with a home run off Oakland reliever A.J. Puk.
With two outs, an RBI single by Andrew Vaughn cut Oakland's lead to 3-2 and Romy Gonzalez tied it with another single.
That brought Elvis Andrus to the plate.
Released by the A's on Aug. 17 and signed by the Sox two days later, Andrus burned his former team with a 2-run double off Puk to decide the outcome.
Lucas Giolito started for the White Sox and gave up 3 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks over 6 innings.
The Sox's offense has hit 20 home runs over the last 11 games, but the full lineup is still not on the field.
Shortstop Tim Anderson has been sidelined since early August with a left finger injury and is likely out at least another week.
Center fielder Luis Robert missed his third straight game Friday with a sore left wrist that has been bothering him since mid-August.
Catcher Yasmani Grandal is dealing with more back discomfort and hasn't been in the starting lineup since Tuesday.
Before the game, the White Sox claimed Nicholas Padilla off waivers from the Cubs and designated left-hander Anderson Severino for assignment.
Padilla will be assigned to Class AAA Charlotte. The right-handed reliever was a combined 3-1 with a 2.11 ERA for Class AAA Iowa, AA Tennessee and high A South Bend and pitched in 1 game with the Cubs.