Barreto slugs his way into team history
Infielder becomes youngest to drive in six runs since 1930
CHICAGO >> Franklin Barreto earned a spot in team history as the A’s split a doubleheader with the White Sox on Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The A’s, who beat Chicago 11-2 in the opener, saw their season-high five-game winning streak snapped with a 6-4 loss in the nightcap loss.
Barreto slugged a pair of three-run home runs in the opener and put himself in the team record book as the youngest A’s player in at least 110 years to have a six-RBI game.
The previous youngest was Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx, who did it in 1930 at 22 years, 212 days old. The A’s researched as far back as 1908.
“We all know he’s got that in him,” said
A’s manager Bob Melvin. “It’s just about getting him some consistent at-bats. The way he’s swinging the bat, he’s definitely capable of doing that.”
Barreto’s first home run also made a bit of history. It marked the 22nd consecutive road game in which the A’s had homered, breaking a record held by the 2013 team.
Barreto homered in the second inning against White Sox right-hander James Shields. His second homer came in the eighth off Luis Avilan.
“It’s double the emotion to help the team with two of them,” Barreto said through a translator. “It feels really good.”
Sean Manaea (7-6) struck out seven, walked none and scattered five hits over six innings. Chicago’s only run off him came in the sixth when Jose Abreu scored from third on double-play grounder.
In the second game, Matt Olson extended the A’s consecutive road game home run streak to 23 — one away from the modern major league record held by the 1996 Orioles — with a sixth inning solo shot to right.
Matt Joyce came home in the first inning in his first appearance since being reinstated from the 10-day disabled list earlier Friday. Olson’s RBI single to center scored Joyce from second base for a short-lived 1-0 lead.
The White Sox replied The A’s Matt Olson watches his solo home run during the sixth inning of the team’s 6-4 loss to the White Sox in the nightcap Friday.
with a three-run second off A’s starter Chris Bassitt. Catcher Omar Narvaez hit a one-out single to right-cen- ter to score Daniel Palka and Tim Anderson. Narvaez came home on a Char- lie Tilson base hit to left for a 3-1 lead.
Olson’s sixth-inning, first-pitch homer off Lucas Giolito trimmed Chicago’s lead to 3-2 and was the A’s majors-leading 65th road homer. The White Sox added two runs in the sixth for a 5-2 lead and chased Bassitt, who worked 5 1/3 innings, allowed five runs (four earned) and six hits while walking one and striking out four.
“I thought he (Bassitt) was better,” Melvin said. “Other than that (three-run second) inning, I thought he threw the ball really well. He mixed speeds really well, had a good curveball, had a good fastball.”
The A’s got two runs back, loading the bases with none out in the eighth inning. Khris Davis singled off reliever Chris Volstad to drive home Dustin Fowler and Marcus Semien to make it 5-4.
Tim Anderson’s eighth inning solo homer— his 12th of the season — restored a two-run Chicago lead.
Bassitt (0-3) has now lost all three starts this month. He was called up from Triple-A Nashville on June 14 for his fourth stint with the A’s. He had a no-decision in his only other appearance against the White Sox on April 5, 2016.
Giolito (5-7) earned the win while Joakim Soria worked a perfect ninth for his 12th save.