Athletics beat White Sox in thrilling 6-5 contest

Starting the weekend on a good note

The Athletics survived a late rally from the White Sox on Friday night, holding off Chicago to win 6-5 and take the first game of the series.

Righty Luis Severino got the call to start tonight’s game. Making his sixth start of the season Severino was dealing early on, striking out the side in the top of the first and setting the first six batters down. Through the first four innings the veteran only yielded one hit and one walk, dominating the White Sox through the first half of the game.

Meanwhile on the other side of things Chicago made a late change to their pitching plans. Left-hander Tyler Gilbert served as an opener for the White Sox before making way for scheduled starter Sean Burke to work as the bulk pitcher. The late change in tactics seemed to work for them as the A’s were befuddled. They only managed a pair of singles through the first four frames, singles off the bats of Tyler Soderstrom (who also stole his first base of the season) and NIck Kurtz (his second career hit).

The game finally started seeing some action beginning in the fifth. Severino allowed a walk and single to put the Sox in scoring position and an RBI base hit gave Chicago the first lead of the day. The Athletics answered right back in the bottom half of the frame when shortstop Jacob Wilson took the second pitch he saw and hit a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the fifth:

That tied this game right back up one apiece. Chicago quickly answered right back, scoring two in the sixth off back-to-back RBI doubles to give the Sox a 2-run advantage. Severino managed to finish the frame but his day was done after that.

• Luis Severino: 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 85 pitches

Once again, the A’s fought right back and prevented a shutdown inning. And once again, the A’s have Jacob Wilson to thank for that. After a Soderstrom single and JJ Bleday walk, Wilson he swatted a single to center field to bring in at least one run:

The misplay by center fielder Luis Robert Jr. cost Chicago dearly as the runner at first base came all 270 feet around to score and tie this game up.

It was the home team’s turn to turn the pressure up. The bottom of the seventh saw Luis Urias draw a walk before designated hitter Brent Rooker roped a ball down the left field line for an RBI double to give the Athletics their first lead of the night:

Following Rooker in the lineup was Soderstrom and he did what he was doing all night, collecting another single with this one driving in a run to expand the lead:

The A’s added one more insurance run the next inning courtesy of a sac fly off the bat of Kurtz. That run would end up mattering too.

Down to their final three outs the White Sox needed three runs to tie this game up. And facing flamethrower Mason Miller that would be no easy task. They managed to inflict more damage than anticipated when they hit a 2-run home run to make it a one-run game but luckily Miller slammed the door before things got out of hand. That sealed the win, and with it Miller’s eighth save in eight tries this year.

The Athletics did what they needed to do tonight and secured the win against a lesser team. It wasn’t pretty but it did the job. The team is now back at the .500 mark at 13-13 and will look to get into the winning record territory tomorrow afternoon when they continue the series. Chicago is scheduled to send out right-hander Jonathan Cannon while the A’s will march out lefty Jeffrey Springs.