A’s 8-0 victory finishes the Chicago Sweep

Power bats ruled the day for the A’s

Looking for a sweep in the Windy City, the Athletics took on the Chicago White Sox today at Rate Field. Athletics sent JP Sears to the mound to face off against Davis Martin for the White Sox.

The A’s got on the board quickly with Lawrence Butler doubling and then Jacob Wilson doubled to drive him in. JP Sears took the mound in the bottom of the fist with a 1-0 lead.

Both pitchers cruised through the next three innings giving up baserunners but ultimately keeping the opponent off the scoreboard on this cool and extremely windy day. Sears needed only ten pitches to get out of the fourth. In the top of the fifth, Lawrence Butler blasted a homer deep into right field despite the wind blowing directly in from right. The distance of that bomb was 414 ft. That gave the A’s a 2-0 lead.

Brent Rooker led off the sixth with a base hit to left. On a day when he started once again in the field this was his second hit of the afternoon. JJ Bleday followed with a blast straight down the right field line for his second homer of the season, giving the A’s a 4-0 lead. Jhonny Pereda singled to keep the inning alive and to chase Martin.

In the top of the seventh, Tyler Soderstrom hit his ninth homer of the year taking over the MLB lead from Cal Raleigh. That increased the A’s lead to 5-0.

Noah Murdock replaced Sears in the bottom of the seventh. Sears final line was 6.0 innings giving up three hits and two walks and held the Sox scoreless. Murdock made a slick catch on a sharp line drive right back at him by leadoff hitter Edgar Quero.

With two outs, Murdock loaded the bases and that ended his afternoon in Chicagoland. TJ McFarland took over to face pinch hitter Joshua Palacios. Palacios popped out to end the inning.

Max Schuemann tripled to lead off the inning. It was his second triple of the season, and in fact his second triple of the day. Jacob Wilson doubled to easily drive in Schuemann. Brent Rooker tacked on two more with his fifth homer to deep left field. That brought the score to 8-0 for our Athletics.

Jason Alexander entered the game in the ninth to shut down the White Sox in a non-save situation. Alexander struck out two of the three batters he faced and came within one (blown) call of an immaculate inning.

With the 8-0 victory, the A’s sweep!