Gio Gonzalez issued seven walks against the White Sox and the last one was most costly.
The Oakland Athletics’ left-hander lost his third straight start on Saturday as Chicago beat the A’s 3-2.
Gonzalez took the mound in the sixth inning and issued a one-out walk to Brent Lillibridge before being relieved by Brad Ziegler.
Lillibridge stole second and advanced to third when Kurt Suzuki’s throw hopped into center field. After Alexei Ramirez walked, Carlos Quentin hit a comebacker to Ziegler, who threw wide to second on what could have been an inning-ending double play, allowing Lillibridge to score and put Chicago ahead 3-2.
“We’ve got plenty of time if I make a good throw, I just have to give him more time to get there,” Ziegler said. “I got the groundball I needed, I just didn’t make the play.”
Lillibridge then helped make John Danks a winner, robbing Coco Crisp of a go-ahead home run and what would have been his 1,000th career hit.
With Daric Barton on second and one out in the eighth, Crisp lofted a flyball deep to left-center. Lillibridge retreated to the wall, leaped and snared Crisp’s drive before it cleared the fence.
“Coco put a good swing on it. I was just running to the track. I didn’t think it was actually going to go out the way the ball was carrying tonight,” Lillibridge said. “I picked up the wall and took a chance. I actually didn’t think I was going to hit the wall that hard…It was big.”
Crisp declined to speak to reporters after the game.
“The way it played out, that was the game,” A’s interim manager Bob Melvin said. “We felt like if we got a couple runs right there, we could close it out. They say it’s a game of inches … literally.”
That turned out to be the last batter Danks (2-8) faced. He allowed just four hits, struck out four and walked two in 7 2-3 innings. He won his second straight start after going winless in his first 11 starts to start the season.
Ramon Castro hit his third homer of the season, a solo shot in the fourth.
Gonzalez (5-5) is winless in his last five starts. Oakland issued nine walks, has lost 11 of 12 games and fell to 1-2 under interim manager Bob Melvin.
Gonzalez allowed three runs in 5 1-3 innings, five hits, a career-high seven walks, hit a batter, committed a balk and threw two wild pitches.
“I just have to throw strikes, pound the strike zone,” Gonzalez said. “I felt I was close enough to get some contact, but the White Sox have great eyes, they can see the ball good.”
Chicago’s Jesse Crain worked 1 1-3 hitless innings, picking up his first save one night after White Sox closer Sergio Santos blew a two-run, ninth-inning lead in Oakland’s 7-5 win on Friday.
Josh Willingham’s RBI single tied the game at 1 in the fourth for Oakland, but Castro broke the deadlock with a leadoff homer in the bottom half of the fourth.
Oakland knotted the game in the sixth on Hideki Matsui’s sacrifice fly to right.
Gonzalez’s control problems led to Chicago’s first run in the third. Ramirez stroked a one-out single. Quentin walked and Paul Konerko struck out. With two outs and Rios at the plate, Gonzalez threw a pitch in the dirt that bounced away from catcher Suzuki and Ramirez scored the game’s first run.
Rios eventually walked, giving Gonzalez four walks in three innings. He’s walked four or more batters in six of his 13 starts this season.
NOTES: A’s 2B Scott Sizemore, who won Friday’s game with a three-run double with two outs in the ninth, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.

CHICAGO —
Brent Lillibridge helped make John Danks a winner with a homer-saving catch in the eighth inning, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Oakland Athletics 3-2 on Saturday night.

Lillibridge robbed Oakland’s Coco Crisp with a leaping catch above the wall. With Daric Barton on second and one out in the eighth, Crisp lofted a flyball deep to left-center. Lillibridge retreated to the wall, leaped and snared Crisp’s drive before it cleared the fence.

That turned out to be the last batter Danks (2-8) faced. He allowed just four hits, struck out four and walked two in 7 2-3 innings. He won his second straight start after going winless in his first 11 starts to start the season.

Ramon Castro hit his third homer of the season, a solo shot in the fourth. Alex Rios had two hits and a walk for Chicago, tis third straight game with two hits.

Athletics starter Gio Gonzalez (5-5) is winless in his last five starts. Oakland issued nine walks, has lost 11 of12 games and fell to 1-2 under interim manager Bob Melvin.

Chicago’s Jesse Crain worked 1 1-3 hitless innings, picking up his first save one night after White Sox closer Sergio Santos blew a two-run, ninth-inning lead in Oakland’s 7-5 win on Friday.

Gonzalez was wild during most of his 115-pitch outing. He allowed three runs in 5 1-3 innings, five hits, a career-high seven walks, hit a batter, committed a balk and threw two wild pitches.

Gonzalez was removed with one out in the fifth, during which Chicago scored the go-ahead run without the benefit of a hit. Lillibridge drew a one-out walk, then stole second and went to third on Kurt Suzuki’s throwing error.

Gonzalez was replaced by reliever Brad Ziegler with a 1-0 count on Alexei Ramirez, who walked. Carlos Quentin hit a comebacker to Ziegler, who threw wide to second for an error, allowing Lillibridge to score and put Chicago ahead 3-2.

Danks held the Athletics hitless through the first three innings, allowing just two walks. Cliff Pennington led off the fourth with Oakland’s first hit, a single. He stole second and scored on Josh Willingham’s single. Pennington just beat the throw of Chicago left fielder Lillibridge.

That tied the score at 1, but Castro broke the deadlock with a leadoff homer in the bottom half of the fourth, a 387-foot shot to left on a 2-2 curveball from Gonzalez.

Oakland knotted the game in the sixth. Crisp doubled just inside the third-base line to lead off, went to second on Pennington’s sacrifice and scored on Hideki Matsui’s sacrifice fly to right.

Gonzalez’s control problems led to Chicago’s first run in the third. Ramirez stroked a one-out single. Quentin walked and Paul Konerko struck out. With two outs and Rios at the plate, Gonzalez threw a pitch in the dirt that bounced away from catcher Suzuki, allowing Ramirez to race home with the game’s first run.

Rios eventually walked, giving Gonzalez four walks in three innings. He’s walked four or more batters in six of his 13 starts this season.

The White Sox took advantage of Gonzalez’s command issues in the second and loaded the bases, but failed to score. Rios singled, Adam Dunn walked and Beckham was hit by a pitch. Gonzalez escaped the inning when Brent Morel grounded out.

The White Sox also loaded the bases without scoring in the fifth. With one out, Konerko and Rios each singled and Dunn walked. However, Castro popped to second and Beckham rolled into a fielder’s choice.

(Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Read More: Clay Buchholz (P – BOS), Daric Barton (1B – OAK), Kurt Suzuki (C – OAK), Josh Willingham (LF – OAK), Josh Outman (P – OAK), David DeJesus (RF – OAK), Boston Red Sox

The Oakland Athletics open their three game series with the Boston Red Sox Friday night as Josh Outman squares off against Clay Buchholz. Outman will be making his third start since returning to the big leagues last month. Buchholz makes his second start versus Oakland after getting his first win of the year on April 20. He lasted 5 1/3 innings and gave up one run on six hits and four walks.

The A’s have inserted Daric Barton back into the lineup but dropped him to sixth in the batting order as he has struggled to find the form that made him a dangerous threat in 2010. DeJesus and Willingham will occupy the second and third spots in the order, while Kurt Suzuki moves up to fifth.

The Red Sox will roll out what has been an incredibly hot lineup that led the American League in runs scored in May. They actually led the AL in virtually every possible major offensive category. The only category they didn’t lead in was triples and they were tied for second with six triples. Needless to say, A’s pitchers will have their hands full.

Oakland Athletics
1. Coco Crisp CF
2. David DeJesus RF
3. Josh Willingham LF
4. Hideki Matsui DH
5. Kurt Suzuki C
6. Daric Barton 1B
7. Mark Ellis 2B
8. Kevin Kouzmanoff 3B
9. Cliff Pennington SS

Boston Red Sox
1. Jacoby Ellsbury CF
2. Dustin Pedroia 2B
3. Adrian Gonzalez 1B
4. Kevin Youkilis 3B
5. David Ortiz DH
6. Jed Lowrie SS
7. Carl Crawford LF
8. Mike Cameron RF
9. Jarrod Saltalamacchia C

Read More: Joel Pineiro (P – ANA), Howie Kendrick (2B – ANA), Kurt Suzuki (C – OAK), Fernando Rodney (P – ANA), Mark Ellis (2B – OAK), Conor Jackson (LF – OAK), Hideki Matsui (DH – OAK), Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics

(Sports Network) – The Oakland Athletics try to jump the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the American League West standings and complete a two-game sweep of their division foes when they close the brief set tonight at the Coliseum. Oakland knocked the Halos out of first place in Monday’s opener, as Kurt Suzuki slid in safely at home in front of Howie Kendrick’s throw from the infield grass in the 10th inning, lifting the A’s to a 5-4 win.

The A’s tied the game on Daric Barton’s RBI single in the ninth and came away with their second win in the last three games in their next at-bat. After striking out Hideki Matsui on a payoff pitch to start the 10th, Fernando Rodney (2-2) walked Suzuki and Conor Jackson on nine total pitches. On a 2-1 count to Mark Ellis, Rodney threw a wild pitch to move both runners up a base.

Kendrick was shifted from left field to second base as an extra infielder, and Ellis hit a chopper right to him. Running on contact, Suzuki was able to score the deciding run on Kendrick’s high and wide throw.

“What a great finish to a tough game,” A’s manager Bob Geren said. “That was a big win for the team.”

A’s starter Brett Anderson was charged with three runs on five hits and four walks over 6 2/3 innings, while his counterpart, Joel Pineiro, was strong over seven innings, allowing three runs — only one earned — on six hits. With Texas’ win over the Chicago White Sox, the Angels fell a half-game back of the Rangers for the division lead. The A’s are a game back of Texas and now just a half game behind the Halos.

Hoping to get them even closer in the standings, the A’s will rely on left- hander Gio Gonzalez, who will try to bounce back from an ugly outing in his last trip to the hill. Gonzalez allowed seven runs in 2 2/3 innings to the Ranges on Wednesday, but fortunately the start never counted since the game was called because of rain shortly after he was lifted.

“Obviously, it was a blessing in disguise that would happen. Now you just move forward,” Gonzalez said. “It happens to any pitcher: You give up a couple of runs, but it’s how they bounce back. This is a situation where I have to bounce back, especially against the Angels. It’s not an easy task against a division rival. They’re not going to be easy, but as long as I keep my team in the game, that’s all that matters.”

Aside from that outing in Arlington Gonzalez has been terrific posting a 4-2 mark to go along with a 2.68 ERA. However, one of his few poor showings came against the Angels back on April 25 when he allowed five runs (four earned) and eight hits in five innings. He is 3-2 lifetime against Anaheim with a 3.90 ERA in six starts.

The Angels will counter with rookie Tyler Chatwood, who is 2-1 with a 3.67 ERA. Chatwood has not received a decision in either of his last two starts, but has given up just a run in each outing, spanning 14 1/3 innings. Chatwood’s last win came against the A’s back on April 26 when he gave up three runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings in his only other appearance against the club.

The Angels took two of three from the Athletics at home in late April, giving them a victory in six of the past seven meetings. They did lose six of 10 in Oakland a season ago.

With seven additions this offseason – three bats, four arms – the A’s enter this spring with designs on the AL West title.

Outfielders David DeJesus and Josh Willingham and DH Hideki Matsui should help improve what was a punchless offense last season, and Grant Balfour, Brian Fuentes, Rich Harden and Brandon McCarthy will give an already strong pitching staff added depth.

The less obvious impact of the newcomers: The returning regulars are likely to gain.

Second baseman Mark Ellis and catcher Kurt Suzuki are the best examples. Suzuki hit third or fourth the bulk of the year, and Ellis was in the second, third or fifth spot in more than 40 games. Both felt that in an ideal situation, with a top-notch lineup, they’d be hitting further down the order. This year they will, as will third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff.

“Mark and I talked about that a lot last year,” Suzuki said. “We’re confident players, we’d like to think we can handle those spots, but we’re not going to hit 25 to 30 home runs and drive in 100 runs – that almost took us out of our game last year. To have guys in the middle of the order who can do that and redistribute us, we’re going to be better lower in the order. We’ll benefit.”

Matsui is much better suited to the cleanup role or batting fifth, the spots he’s filled much of his career. And when he plays close to a full season, Matsui typically is a 90 to 100 RBI man. Willingham also fits in well in one of those two spots, and Matsui is left-handed while Willingham is a righty, so expect them to be back-to-back in the middle.

DeJesus is a top-of-the order hitter, but then so is center fielder Coco Crisp, and with the Royals in 2009, Crisp batted leadoff while DeJesus hit second or third. That’s a trend likely to continue with Oakland. Then the A’s have a choice between left-handed hitting Daric Barton in the third spot behind DeJesus, also a lefty, or potentially going with Willingham there and bumping Barton down the line a bit. Two fine outfielders, Ryan Sweeney and Conor Jackson, move from being starters to being reserves, providing more good options.

The A’s needed power in a big way, and while their three additions supply some, particularly Matsui if his knees are healthy, the main thing that the team has gained is a high-average guy in DeJesus; a strong RBI man in Matsui, a career .299 hitter with men on base (the A’s hit .241 with runners in scoring position last year); and a good all-around hitter in Willingham.

DeJesus (thumb) and Willingham (knee) are coming off season-ending injuries, but both are healthy now.

These are words the A’s hear every year about this time, of course – and then by the end of the spring, the training tables seem to be full. That’s the concern with fifth-starter candidates Harden and McCarthy, who have extensive injury histories. And really, it’s the biggest issue facing the team overall if Oakland plans to contend.

“Everyone says before the season starts that on paper we look great,” Suzuki said. “But with us it’s a matter of who stays healthy. Unfortunately, we’ve hit some bumps in that area the past few years and that’s never a good thing. But as of now, this team looks great. I love the additions.”

Balfour and Fuentes are set as right- and left-handed set-up men, joining Michael Wuertz and Craig Breslow in working behind closer Andrew Bailey. That pushes quality relievers such as Brad Ziegler, Joey Devine and Jerry Blevins into a battle for the two remaining spots in the bullpen, possibly along with former A’s ace Harden or promising Josh Outman, depending on the fifth-starter competition.

“To have that many options, that many qualified pitchers, is a good thing,” Suzuki said of the potential fifth starters. “Any one of those guys could be in the rotation for anyone in the major leagues, that’s how good they are. It’s a matter of who can stay healthy and help the team win. And the other four guys in the rotation – we know how good they are.”