JP Sears pitched six scoreless innings, Brent Rooker went 3-for-5, including a two-run home run, and the visiting Athletics slugged their way to an 8-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday.
Sears (2-2) allowed just three hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Lawrence Butler, JJ Bleday and Tyler Soderstrom also blasted home runs. Soderstrom’s homer was his MLB-best ninth.
The A’s won all three games at Chicago, earning their first sweep since taking three games against the Los Angeles Angels from July 2-4, 2024.
Davis Martin (1-2) surrendered four runs on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings for Chicago, which dropped its fourth straight game. Lenyn Sosa went 2-for-3 with a walk for the White Sox.
Butler and Jacob Wilson each doubled to open the game, giving the A’s an early 1-0 edge off Martin after three pitches.
Chicago threatened in the bottom of the second, as Sosa singled and Edgar Quero was hit by a pitch in his first career plate appearance. Sears escaped the jam by inducing Brooks Baldwin into an inning-ending double play.
The Athletics doubled their lead in the top of the fifth on Butler’s 414-foot solo homer, his second of the season.
After Rooker’s leadoff single in the sixth, Bleday launched a two-run home run to give the A’s a 4-0 lead. Jhonny Pereda’s one-out single then chased Martin from the game for reliever Steven Wilson.
Soderstrom slugged the Athletics’ third homer, pushing the margin to 5-0 against Brandon Eisert in the seventh.
Noah Murdock replaced Sears in the bottom of the seventh, throwing a perfect frame.
Murdock struck out Chase Meidroth to begin the eighth, before Luis Robert Jr. reached on Max Muncy’s fielding error. Andrew Vaughn popped out before a Miguel Vargas single and a Sosa walk loaded the bases.
T.J. McFarland replaced Murdock and retired Joshua Palacios on a pop out to end the frame.
Chicago reliever Bryse Wilson allowed Max Schuemann’s triple in the ninth, before Wilson’s double scored the A’s sixth run. Rooker continued the onslaught two batters later, crushing a 415-foot two-run homer – his fifth of the year.
