Athletics take down the White Sox 3-1

Bido gets the Win, Bleday does the offensive damage

The Athletics, fresh off a 12-3 victory yesterday, took on the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. This was game two of the three game set. It was a chilly night in Chicago, with a 40-degree (and dropping) temperature at first pitch. Osvaldo Bido got the start against Jonathan Cannon.

Bido was extremely efficient in the first inning, escaping with just seven pitches. In the bottom of the third, Brooks Baldwin led off with a big fly to deep right field, giving the Sox a 1-0 lead. That was the first homer allowed this season by Bido.

JJ Bleday led off the top of the fourth inning with a double down the right field line. He moved to third on a wild pitch. But none of the next three batters could get a hit or even a productive out to score Bleday.

Cannon got the first out in the top of the fifth and after 88 pitches, his night was through. Tyler Gilbert replaced Cannon as the A’s turned over the lineup and Butler batted for the third time. But the A’s went quietly once again.

In the top of the sixth, Tyler Soderstrom led off with a single. He scored on a JJ Bleday single. Bleday moved to second on the late throw home. Miguel Andujar walked after working a full count. Gio Urshela cleared the bases with a stand-up triple to the gap in right centerfield. Max Muncy fouled out the third baseman Vargas. The A’s took a 3-1 lead.

With two down in the sixth, Kotsay pulled Bido. He tossed eighty-three pitches, and his final line was one earned run on five hits, one walk and five strikeouts. T.J. McFarland threw one pitch and Michael A. Taylor smacked it into the gap in right center for a triple of his own. But McFarland got Chase Meidroth to ground out to end the inning.

Lawrence Butler singled on a line drive to center field and promptly stole second. After two outs, Butler stole third, for his fourth of the season. But Shea Langeliers flied out to end the inning. José Leclerc replaced McFarland in the bottom of the inning. With one down, Lenyn Sosa doubled to left field. Omar Narváez drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Nick Maton walked to load the bases with two outs. That ended the night for Leclerc. Tyler Ferguson entered the game to slam the door against the Pale Hose most dangerous hitter, Luis Robert Jr. Ferguson got him to ground out Tyler Soderstrom to Ferguson covering.

Bleday led off with his third hit of the night, a single to centerfield. But he was erased on a Miguel Andujar double play ball. Ferguson came out to pitch the bottom of the eighth and struck out Andrew Vaughn. Matt Thaiss walked. Chase Meidroth popped out to second baseman Luis Urías for the second out. Brooks Baldwin flied out to Bleday in center for the final out.

The A’s went down 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth, setting up Mason Miller for the save in the bottom of the ninth. Lenyn Sosa struck out on three straight pitches. It took four pitches for him to send Greg Jones to the showers. And determined to make Miller work, Miguel Vargas held out for five pitches before he struck out. Bido got the win in this 3-1 victory and Miller logged his fifth save. Having already won the series, the A’s hope to pull out the brooms and sweep the series tomorrow.