Anderson, La Russa ejected after quarreling with umpire as White Sox lose to A's
CHICAGO (AP) — Seth Brown hit two solo homers, Stephen Piscotty hit a three-run shot, and James Kapriellian pitched six strong innings as the Oakland Athletics beat the Chicago White Sox 7-3 on Friday night for their season-high fourth straight win.
Elvis Andrus also homered for Oakland, which improved to 7-2 since the All-Star break.
White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson and manager Tony La Russa were ejected in the seventh inning after a heated argument with umpires over a called strike that appeared to be high. That call and ensuing ejections by home plate umpire Nick Mahrley elicited more booing from a dissatisfied crowd of 28,503.
Chicago, a preseason favorite to win the AL Central, lost its second straight to fall below .500 (49-50).
Ramón Laureano got on base in the second after José Abreu dropped the ball on a routine throw from third and Andrus followed with a single before Piscotty's home run gave Oakland a 3-1 lead.
Brown and Andrus ended the night for Lance Lynn (1-4) by homering twice in three at-bats in the sixth. Lynn went 5 2/3 innings and allowed five runs on six hits. He struck out eight and walked none.
Kaprielian (2-5) got Yasmani Grandal to chase an outside slider to escape the sixth as Chicago threatened with runners on second and third. The 2015 first-round draft pick allowed one earned run and four hits, striking out four and walking one.
Chicago's Josh Harrison cut the deficit to 5-3 in the seventh with a two-run blast to left-center.
Brown hit another solo homer in the eighth for his second career multi-homer game. He hit two against Houston last October.
Andrus scored another run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Nick Allen to complete the scoring.
AJ Pollock doubled to left, then scored on Jose Abreu's grounder past Brown to give Chicago a first-inning lead.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Athletics: RHP Dany Jiménez (strained right shoulder) was set to throw in relief with Triple-A Las Vegas on Friday and Sunday. Kotsay said he would "reconvene" with Jiménez after the weekend before deciding his next step. ... INF Jed Lowrie had a scheduled night off after returning from a rehab assignment with Las Vegas on Wednesday. Kotsay said he will play 2B Saturday and DH on Sunday.
White Sox: RHP Davis Martin was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte. ... RHP Parker Markel was outrighted to Charlotte. ... OF Luis Robert was scratched from a rehab game with Triple-A Charlotte due to cold symptoms. La Russa said the earliest Robert could rejoin the team is on Monday against Kansas City. ... La Russa said RHP Joe Kelly could return to the bullpen Saturday after leaving Wednesday's game in Colorado with right biceps discomfort. ... La Russa opted to rest INF Andrew Vaughn, but said he'd play Saturday and Sunday.
UP NEXT
Oakland's Paul Blackburn (6-6, 4.35 ERA) is slated to start against Johnny Cueto (4-4, 2.89 ERA) on Saturday night.