OAKLAND, Calif. — Right-hander Jesse Chavez allowed two runs over eight-plus innings, third baseman Josh Donaldson hit a tie-breaking two-run homer, and the Oakland A’s held on for a 5-4 victory Monday night against the Chicago White Sox in the opener of a three-game series.
The A’s won their season-high fifth straight game, moved a season-best nine games over .500 and improved to 24-15, matching their best record after 39 games over the past 24 seasons.
The White Sox (20-20) lost their third straight game and for the fourth time in their past five games.
White Sox designated hitter Jose Abreu hit his major-league leading 14th home run, a solo shot to right field off Chavez, leading off the ninth and igniting a three-run rally. Chicago right fielder Dayan Viciedo hit a solo home run in the second.
Chavez (3-1) allowed four hits, walked two and struck out seven, getting the White Sox to chase his sharp-breaking curve. He bounced back from a rough start Tuesday against Seattle when he gave up four runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings in an 8-3 loss to the Mariners.
Chavez came out firing strikes against the White Sox. Through the first four innings, he threw first-pitch strikes to 13 of the 16 batters he faced. Thirty-eight of his 50 pitches during that span were strikes. He needed only 90 pitches to get through eight innings, and A’s manager Bob Melvin sent him back to pitch the ninth.
Abreu crushed an 0-2 pitch into the right-center-field seats, ending Chavez’s night.
A’s left-hander Fernando Abad walked Adam Dunn, and he gave way to right-hander Jim Johnson. Viciedo greeted Johnson with a ringing double, moving pinch runner Moises Sierra to third. Then Alexei Ramirez lined a single to left, driving in Ramirez, moving Viciedo to third and ending Johnson’s night.
Pinch hitter Paul Konerko hit a sacrifice fly off left-hander Sean Doolittle, bringing Viciedo home to make it 5-4. Ramirez stole second base, but Doolittle struck out pinch hitter Tyler Flowers and Leury Garcia to end the game and earn the save.
Danks entered the game with a 6-1 record and 2.12 ERA in nine career starts against Oakland, but he took the loss. Danks (3-3) allowed three runs on six hits, including Donaldson’s home run, over six innings. He struck out five and walked two.
After Donaldson put the A’s ahead 3-1 with his two-run blast in the fifth, shortstop Jed Lowrie lined a two-run double in the seventh — the 500th hit of his career — off reliever Daniel Webb, extending Oakland’s lead to 5-1.
Viciedo gave the White Sox a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, hitting a solo home run off Chavez with one out. Chavez fell behind 2-1, and Viciedo lined his 88 mph cutter over the right-center-field wall.
The A’s answered with a run in the bottom of the second when right fielder Josh Reddick crushed an RBI triple high off the center-field fence with two outs. The triple off Danks was Reddick’s first extra-base hit and second RBI against a left-handed pitcher this season.
The A’s took a 3-1 lead in the fifth on Donaldson’s two-run, two-out home run with Reddick aboard after a leadoff walk. Danks fell behind 2-0, and Donaldson lined his 88 mph fastball over the left-field fence. It was his eighth home run of the season and first since April 25 at Houston.
NOTES: Oakland CF Coco Crisp (strained neck) missed his fifth straight game Monday night but took batting practice on the field, one day after hitting in the cage. Crisp has not played since slamming into the right-field wall May 7 while making a catch in the first game of a doubleheader against Seattle. His back made contact first, and then his head whiplashed into the wall. … White Sox LHP Chris Sale (flexor muscle strain in left arm) will make his first rehab start on Thursday for Triple-A Charlotte at Durham. “I think he’s scheduled to throw a short one, then we’ll reassess that and find out how he’s feeling after that,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. Sale is 3-0 with a 2.30 ERA, 29 strikeouts and seven walks in 27 1/3 innings.