The Oakland Athletics attempt to rally back against the Chicago White Sox fell just short Sunday afternoon as they lost the series finale 5-4. The A’s looked like they might spring the comeback late as Coco Crisp looked like he was going to load the bases with an infield single. Unfortunately first base umpire Brian Onora missed a bang-bang play and the A’s dropped to 28-39.
The A’s took an early 1-0 lead on a Matsui sacrifice fly and Guillermo Moscoso made the lead stand up early on. However, one mistake to Adam Dunn resulted in a three-run home run for the White Sox. The A’s slowly rallied back with a run in the sixth and a run in the seventh to tie the game at three and looked ready to take control of the game. In the sixth, Coco Crisp doubled and advanced to third on a Cliff Pennington fly ball before scoring on a Ryan Sweeney ground out. In the seventh inning, Scott Sizemore tied things up with a solo home run to left field.
Unfortunately, as Scott Sizemore giveth, Scott Sizemore also taketh away. In the bottom of the seventh the White Sox put men on first and second with one out. Carlos Quentin grounded to third and as Sizemore whipped a throw on the run to second, he fired the ball past Jemile Weeks and into the outfield allowing Mark Teahen to score. The White Sox added one more run on a Paul Konerko single to left giving them a 5-3 lead.
In the ninth inning, the A’s seemed ready to get things going as Conor Jackson singled a 3-2 pitch into center field. After Daric Barton struck out, Scott Sizemore walked. Josh Willingham flied out to right field advancing Jackson to third. Jemile Weeks then hit a clutch two strike single up the middle to the cut lead to 5-4. Coco Crisp slapped a pitch down the third base line and appeared to beat out the throw from Brent Morel. Unfortunately the umpire did not see it the same way and punched out Crisp.
The A’s head home for six games with the Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants beginning Tuesday evening. Josh Outman will be on the hill for the A’s to open up the homestand.