Tony Kemp had a single, triple and home run, scored four times and drove in three, helping the Oakland Athletics celebrate Dave Stewart’s jersey-retirement day with a 10-3 victory over the visiting Chicago White Sox on Sunday afternoon.
The loss was a costly one for the White Sox (72-69), who fell 2 1/2 games behind the victorious Cleveland Guardians (73-65) atop the American League Central.
After getting drubbed in three straight losses by a total score of 29-7 on the first three days of the four-game set, the A’s went on the attack against Chicago starter Johnny Cueto (7-8) and four relievers to the tune of 14 hits.
The White Sox took the upper hand on two occasions, initially on a Jose Abreu RBI double in the first inning, then 2-1 in fourth on an A.J. Pollock sacrifice fly.
But Oakland (51-90) seized command for good with a six-run fifth, one prolonged when third baseman Leury Garcia dropped Ramon Laureano’s potential inning-ending foul pop fly.
The A’s had already taken the lead by that point on an RBI single by Kemp, a two-run double by Vimael Machin and an RBI double by Sean Murphy. They then turned a 5-2 game into a five-run advantage when Laureano capitalized on his break to smack a two-run homer, his 13th of the season.
The White Sox scored again in the sixth on a Pollock infield single, but Kemp quickly got that one back with his fifth homer of the year, a solo shot, in the bottom of the inning.
Kemp then capped his monster day with a run-scoring triple in the eighth, after which Machin singled him home to complete the game’s scoring.
Oakland starter Cole Irvin (8-11) benefitted from the offensive support, allowing three runs (two earned) and four hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out five.
Cueto couldn’t complete Oakland’s big fifth, charged with seven runs (five earned) on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out three.
Kemp’s four runs were a season-high, while his three hits matched his previous season-best.
In helping the A’s snap a five-game losing streak, Machin finished with three hits and three RBIs, while Murphy and Brown added two hits apiece.
Eloy Jimenez had two of Chicago’s four hits in just the club’s third loss in its last 12 games.
–Field Level Media
