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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Tim Hudson was nearly perfect against the
American League's highest-scoring team.
| | Oakland's Tim Hudson was nearly flawless Monday, shutting out the high-scoring White Sox 3-0 and giving up only one hit. |
"I don't know if you get any better than that," Oakland
manager Art Howe said after Hudson's one-hitter led the Athletics
over the Chicago White Sox 3-0 Monday night.
Frank Thomas' sharp single to center with one out in the fourth
was the only hit for the White Sox, and Thomas was wiped out on a
double play. The only other Chicago runner was Paul Konerko, who
drew a leadoff walk in the third.
Hudson (14-6) struck out eight and didn't allow a runner as far
as second in his first career shutout, the start of which was
delayed 27 minutes by a light failure.
"That was exactly what we needed," Howe said. "He put us up
on his shoulders and carried us."
The victory moved the Athletics within 1½ games of AL West
leader Seattle, a 9-1 loser to the New York Yankees.
Hudson, who was roughed up for eight runs in Oakland's 13-0 loss
to the White Sox in Chicago on Aug. 6, said there was no great
mystery why he was so much better against them this time.
"It's all location," he said. "I got a lot of first strikes
and I kept from throwing it down the middle."
The complete game was just the second in 47th major league
starts for Hudson, who beat Detroit 2-1 with a four-hitter last
Sept. 4.
The White Sox, who are 22-22 since the All-Star break but still
have a seven-game lead in the AL Central, were shut out for just
the third time this season.
"We were trying to battle, but he just threw strikes," Thomas
said. "He located his fastball well and stayed ahead of hitters.
He made guys do a lot of chasing. He was definitely on tonight."
Mike Stanley provided all the offense Hudson would need when he
snapped a scoreless tie with a two-run single in the fifth inning.
Chicago's Jim Parque (10-6) matched Hudson's performance early,
but he ran into control problems in the fifth, when he walked Eric
Chavez to lead off the inning.
After Chavez moved to second on Ramon Hernandez's sacrifice and
Ryan Christenson flied out, Parque gave up two-out walks to Randy
Velarde and Terrence Long that loaded the bases.
Parque, who has won just once in eight starts since July 15,
gave up three runs and five hits in seven innings. He walked six
and struck out five.
"One inning, I lost concentration," Parque said. "I made good
pitches, but the umpire has the last word. I'm not disputing what
he called, but I had some tough pitches and had some tough jams to
get out of. `I didn't throw the ball over the plate."
While the start of the game was delayed by the light failure,
the players waited in the dugout, with the starting pitchers
getting up to warm up again in the bullpen just before the contest
finally began.
Game notes White Sox RHP Cal Eldred is scheduled to make his first
rehab start for Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday at Richmond. He has
been on the DL since July 17 with a nerve problem in his right
elbow. He will be limited to 50 pitches or three innings. ...
Chicago rookie RHP Jon Garland, struck below the right elbow by a
line drive on Aug. 18 against Tampa Bay and later placed on the DL
retroactive to Aug. 19, will pitch at Double-A Birmingham on
Wednesday as part of his rehab assignment. ... Jason Giambi sat out
his second consecutive game with a strained left shoulder, the
seventh game he's missed because of the injury. He underwent an MRI
on Monday and trainer Larry Davis said , "It was essentially a
normal study. It doesn't change much what we're doing (in terms of
treatment), but it does take away the fear in the back of his mind
that something is wrong. We'd like to get him back to playing every
day. But it will take a couple of days to get there."
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Chi. White Sox Clubhouse
Oakland Clubhouse
RECAPS
Tampa Bay 5 Boston 2
Cleveland 5 Texas 2
Toronto 4 Anaheim 2
Oakland 3 Chi. White Sox 0
NY Yankees 9 Seattle 1
St. Louis 5 Florida 2
Montreal 9 Arizona 5
San Francisco 5 Pittsburgh 4
NY Mets 4 Houston 2
Philadelphia 3 Colorado 2
Cincinnati 6 Atlanta 3
San Diego 8 Chicago Cubs 2
Los Angeles 5 Milwaukee 3
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