Oakland (46-39) at Chi White Sox (49-37)

TV: CSN-BA | Radio: KFRC 106.9 FM/KYCY 1550 AM 7:05 pm ET U.S. Cellular Field TV: CSN Chicago | Radio: WSCR 670
oak

Street ready for any situation

Dave Brown / Special to MLB.com
Huston Street had five days off, so having to get five outs instead of the usual three felt like no problem. With the outcome in the balance in the eighth inning on Thursday night, Athletics manager Bob Geren went to his closer.
Full story >

Athletics probable pitcher

Joe Blanton

  • #55 RHP
  • (4-11) 4.97 ERA
A's: After throwing three innings of no-hit ball in his last start, Blanton gave up a string of five consecutive hits in the fourth against the Giants en route to surrendering seven runs on eight hits while pitching into the fifth inning -- the second time in his last three starts he's given up seven runs or more. Blanton will look to get back on track against the White Sox, against whom he owns a 2-1 record with a 3.12 ERA in three career starts.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 46-45 4.24 747.2 200 424 .273
Season 4-11 4.97 114.0 33 55 .283

Series at a Glance

Standings - 07/04/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Oakland Athletics (AL West) 46 39 .541 5.0 27-21 19-18
Chicago White Sox (AL Central) 49 37 .570 - 30-13 19-24
Stats - 07/04/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
OAK .249 373 61 349 48 628 3.43 764.0 667 267 590
CWS .262 416 117 406 33 515 3.37 768.2 710 238 606
cws

Russell climbing reliever ranks

Scott Merkin / MLB.com
His bit of big league success hasn't gone to Adam Russell's head. Although the 6-foot-8 right-hander appears to have secured a bullpen spot and earned the confidence of manager Ozzie Guillen, he approaches each outing as if nothing is guaranteed.
Full story >

White Sox probable pitcher

Mark Buehrle

  • #56 LHP
  • (6-6) 3.79 ERA
White Sox: Buehrle is looking more and more like the White Sox ace of old with each passing start. To illustrate that point, the seven innings he pitched Sunday were the fewest in his last five starts. He surrendered just one unearned run to the Cubs and picked up his third-straight victory. Buehrle is 4-0 in his last five starts with an accompanying 1.15 ERA. He's faced Oakland once this year and pitched far too well to have earned the loss. He allowed two earned runs in seven innings and exited the game trailing 2-1.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 113-81 3.80 1740.2 402 1005 .269
Season 6-6 3.79 111.2 29 62 .274
Vs. Oakland 0-1 2.57 7.0 1 4 .321

Athletics hitters vs Mark Buehrle

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Barton, Daric .000 2 0 0 .000 2 0 0
Buck, Travis .000 4 0 0 .250 8 0 0
Carter, Chris - - - - - - - -
Chavez, Eric - - - - .323 31 1 6
Cunningham, Aaron - - - - - - - -
Cust, Jack - - - - .167 6 1 2
Davis, Rajai - - - - .250 4 0 0
Ellis, Mark .250 4 0 0 .156 32 0 0
Everidge, Tommy - - - - - - - -
Hairston, Scott - - - - - - - -
Patterson, Eric - - - - - - - -
Pennington, Cliff - - - - - - - -
Petit, Gregorio - - - - - - - -
Powell, Landon - - - - - - - -
Suzuki, Kurt 1.000 3 0 1 .556 9 1 3
Sweeney, Ryan - - - - .500 4 0 1

White Sox hitters vs Joe Blanton

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Armstrong, Cole - - - - - - - -
Beckham, Gordon - - - - - - - -
De Aza, Alejandro - - - - - - - -
Flowers, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Gartrell, Stefan - - - - - - - -
Konerko, Paul - - - - .500 6 0 0
Kotsay, Mark - - - - 1.000 1 0 1
Lillibridge, Brent - - - - - - - -
Nix, Jayson - - - - - - - -
Pierzynski, A.J. - - - - .200 10 1 2
Quentin, Carlos - - - - .000 2 0 0
Ramirez, Alexei - - - - - - - -
Rios, Alex - - - - .333 15 1 3
Teahen, Mark - - - - .214 14 1 4
Viciedo, Dayan - - - - - - - -

ABCs: A's win behind Blanton and Cust (47-39) (49-37)

Athletics 7, White Sox 1

A's take two straight

David Brown / Special to MLB.com
Joe Blanton allowed one run in seven strong innings, helping the Athletics top the White Sox. Jack Cust drilled a two-run home run, while Donnie Murphy added two RBIs. Wes Bankston and Emil Brown each had three hits.

Full story >

Athletics Wrap >

More Athletics Headlines

Tickets | MLB.TV | Multimedia | Shop

Series at a Glance

 

White Sox fall to A's

Scott Merkin / MLB.com
Mark Buehrle gave up four runs on 10 hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings, and the White Sox went on to fall to the Athletics. Jermaine Dye and Jim Thome each had a pair of hits for Chicago, while Thome had one RBI.
Full story >

White Sox Wrap >

More White Sox Headlines

Tickets | MLB.TV | Multimedia | Shop

Athletics 7, White Sox 1

OaklandABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Ellis, 2B2000413.253
Sweeney, R, RF6021006.291
Suzuki, C5010014.280
Brown, E, LF5230002.246
Cust, DH5222032.236
Bankston, 1B5031001.308
  Barton, 1B0000000.224
Gonzalez, C, CF3120001.277
  Davis, CF2110002.218
Murphy, SS5022014.203
Hannahan, 3B4111125.217
Totals4271775830 

BATTING
2B: Bankston 2 (2, Buehrle, Buehrle), Hannahan (17, Buehrle), Murphy (2, Russell).
HR: Cust (15, 4th inning off Buehrle, 1 on, 0 out).
TB: Sweeney, R 2; Suzuki; Brown, E 3; Cust 5; Bankston 5; Gonzalez, C 2; Davis; Murphy 3; Hannahan 2.
RBI: Cust 2 (43), Hannahan (26), Sweeney, R (28), Bankston (1), Murphy 2 (9).
2-out RBI: Hannahan; Sweeney, R.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Brown, E; Murphy; Ellis; Suzuki; Sweeney, R 2.
GIDP: Sweeney, R.
Team LOB: 13.

BASERUNNING
SB: Ellis (12, 2nd base off Buehrle/Pierzynski).
 
Chi White SoxABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Cabrera, SS3000101.266
Pierzynski, C4000023.298
Quentin, LF3100100.275
Dye, RF4020011.303
Thome, DH4021011.233
Crede, 3B4000004.262
Swisher, 1B4010013.236
Uribe, 2B3000010.204
Wise, CF3010011.316
Totals321612714 

BATTING
2B: Thome (15, Blanton).
TB: Dye 2; Thome 3; Swisher; Wise.
RBI: Thome (44).
2-out RBI: Thome.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Crede; Pierzynski; Swisher.
S: Uribe.
Team LOB: 7.

FIELDING
Outfield assists: Dye (Ellis at home).
DP: (Uribe-Cabrera-Swisher).
 
OaklandIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Blanton (W, 5-11)7.06112504.76
Ziegler 1.00000100.00
Casilla 1.00000102.70
 
Chi White SoxIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Buehrle (L, 6-7)5.210443513.91
Dotel 0.10000103.00
Masset 0.14220003.68
Logan 1.21001102.10
Russell 1.02111102.84

WP: Masset, Russell.
IBB: Ellis (by Buehrle).
Pitches-strikes: Blanton 119-74, Ziegler 13-8, Casilla 12-7, Buehrle 105-64, Dotel 7-4, Masset 16-11, Logan 31-19, Russell 30-16.
Groundouts-flyouts: Blanton 7-9, Ziegler 1-1, Casilla 2-0, Buehrle 7-4, Dotel 0-0, Masset 0-1, Logan 2-2, Russell 2-0.
Batters faced: Blanton 29, Ziegler 3, Casilla 3, Buehrle 29, Dotel 1, Masset 5, Logan 7, Russell 5.
Inherited runners-scored: Dotel 2-0, Logan 2-0.
Umpires: HP: James Hoye. 1B: Chris Guccione. 2B: Tim Welke. 3B: Chuck Meriwether.
Weather: 72 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 8 mph, L to R.
T: 2:53.
Att: 29,600.
July 4, 2008

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner