A's Bats Go to Sleep; ChiSox win 2 of 3

Sept. 6 (Game 1) at Oakland – Miguel Tejada homered as one of his 3 hits and drove in 7 runs to power Oakland to a 10-6 win in the lid-lifter of the season’s lone double header. Every hitter in the A’s lineup had at least 1 hit except Carlos Pena. David Justice also had 3 knocks including a triple and home run. Barry Zito (3-2) tossed 7 2/3 for the W.  Kip Wells (0-1) started and lost for the White Sox. ChiSox mound men surrendered 9 free passes for the game.

Sept.  6 (Game 2) at Oakland – Pitching was as stingy in the nigthcap as it was liberal in the opener. Tony Graffanino’s 2-run single in the T4 gave the Pale Hose the only runs they needed, erasing the Athletics 1-0 lead after a Greg Myer’s solo blast in the 3^rd.  Sox win 2-1. Jon Garland (1-0) started for Chicago and went 5 1/3. A parade of Kelly Wunsch, Aaron Myette, Lorenzo Barcelo and Keith Foulke (9) followed and allowed just two more hits. Tim Hudson (2-3) was solid, but failed to get the bat support.  

Sept. 7 at Chicago – A quick flight to the Windy City for a single game the next day found the White Sox ready to go and the Athletics still a bit jet-lagged. The ChiSox struck with 3 in the 1^st . A walk to Ray Durham and consecutive singles by Frank Thomas, Magglio Ordonez and Paul Konerko plated a couple of runs. One out later, Graffanino singled in another. Meanwhile Cal Eldred (2-2) extended the A’s scoreless string to 12 innings with 1-hit, shutout ball in 6 IP. The home club put another crooked number on the board in the 5^th. Konerko and Craig Wilson (3 hits) each had 2-run singles to extend the lead to 7-0. All Sox hits were 1-baggers in this one. Oakland put up single runs in each of the final 3 innings, including Pena’s solo blast.