The Oakland Athletics appeared to have Luis Robert Jr. picked off when he took off for second base in the first inning on Sunday.
But first baseman Tyler Soderstrom’s throw bounced off Robert’s back and went into left field. Robert raced to third base safely on the error.
Later in the inning, Andrew Vaughn capped a nine-pitch at-bat with a bloop to right field for an RBI single. And Gavin Sheets followed with a two-run home run.
The White Sox made the most of their opportunities, earning their first series victory since late June with a 4-3 win against the A’s in front of 18,017 at Guaranteed Rate Field.
“If there’s one thing we’ve learned this season it’s you can’t take major-league wins for granted,” Sheets said. “To get back-to-back wins and get a series win, it feels really good. We have to enjoy these times, and we keep it going.”
The Sox won consecutive games for the first time since three straight victories June 27-29, when they beat the Atlanta Braves once and the Colorado Rockies twice.
They earned their first series win since taking two of three from the Rockies on June 28-30 at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Sox snapped a streak of 20 consecutive series losses. It’s their seventh series win of the season.
At 35-115, the Sox need to go 8-4 in their final 12 games to avoid tying the 1962 New York Mets (40-120) for the most losses in a season during Major League Baseball’s modern era (since 1900).
Sox starter Sean Burke earned the first win of his big-league career, allowing two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and two walks in five innings.
“It’s awesome,” Burke said. “First and foremost, I think just getting a team win is awesome. We always want to go out and win a series, so to be able to do so this weekend — overall it’s just an awesome feeling. It’s awesome to contribute and get a win that way.”
He made his big-league debut on Tuesday, allowing one unearned run in three relief innings. Sunday marked his first major-league start.
Burke struck out the first two batters, needing just three pitches for both. He got within one pitch of an immaculate inning after two strikes to JJ Bleday. But Burke’s ninth pitch was a ball.
“The last pitch I was (thinking about it),” Burke said of the possibility of an immaculate inning. “I tried to overcook the curveball a little bit and left it up, but I was just happy to get through (the inning) scoreless.”
The offense aided him early with the three runs in the first.
“Robert getting stuff going, getting to third base and Vaughn having an extremely long at-bat, a really good at-bat, got rewarded with a hit,” Sheets said. “I think that’s some stuff that we haven’t been able to take advantage of throughout the season, and to get an early lead there and kind of settle in Burke, the way he was throwing the ball today, it was really, really good.
“To get those three runs early was really good to start the game.”
Brent Rooker’s two-run home run in the fifth got the A’s within 3-2. But Bryan Ramos made it 4-2 with a solo home run with two outs in the sixth.
“He’s put together a lot of good at-bats, he’s playing good third,” interim manager Grady Sizemore said of Ramos. “Does well in the DH, too. Just seeing a professional at-bat. He’s competing, he’s comfortable out there, he looks relaxed, he’s taking pitches, putting good swings on it.
“He looks like he’s very comfortable in any spot I put him in, any situation. Gives us a quality at-bat.”
It turned out to be a big run. Pinch hitter Shea Langeliers homered for the A’s with two outs in the ninth, cutting the Sox lead to 4-3. Fraser Ellard rebounded, getting Nick Allen to fly out to right field for his first career major-league save.
“It was nice to be in a position to get that series win, another good game (Sunday),” Sizemore said. “Played well all around. Great job by the pitching staff. The defense was good. Got some big hits when we needed them. Good feeling.”
Yoán Moncada is expected to be activated on Monday
Third baseman Yoán Moncada was with the Sox on Sunday afternoon ahead of their trip to Anaheim, Calif., in anticipation of returning to the active roster on Monday when the team plays the Los Angeles Angels.
Moncada went on the injured list April 10 with a left adductor strain. He had been on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte, where he hit .341 (14-for-41) with five doubles, one home run and six RBIs in 12 games.
