SEATTLE (AP) — Former Quincy University pitcher Josh Kinney is one of 11 players to signed a minor-league contract with the Seattle Mariners and will receive a non-roster invitation to spring training.

Last year, the 32-year-old Kinney went 6-3 with 14 saves and a 2.77 ERA in 49 appearances for Triple-A Charlotte , as well as 0-0 with a 6.62 ERA in 13 games with the White Sox. The 32-year-old right-hander pitched in 45 games in relief for the St. Louis Cardinals from 2006-09, including seven postseason appearances during 2006 when St. Louis won the World Series.

The Mariners announced their first wave of minor league contracts on Tuesday. Along with infielder Luis Rodriguez and former San Francisco outfielder Darren Ford, Seattle signed eight pitchers: Matt Fox, Steve Garrison, Jarrett Grube, Sean Henn, Jeff Marquez, Scott Patterson and Phillippe Valiquette. The Mariners also signed catcher Guillermo Quiroz.

Rodriguez played in 44 games at four positions last season for the Mariners. Ford played in 26 games with San Francisco. Garrison and Marquez got limited major league experience as well.

 

By Mark Gonzales

Tribune reporter

8:49 a.m. CST, November 21, 2011

The Chicago White Sox will play host to the Cubs on March 9 and play four games against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch, according to the facility’s website.

The Sox’s spring training home schedule was posted on the website, which features 18 games at Camelback Ranch. The Sox will play a split doubleheader on March 10 against Texas at 1:05 p.m. and against the Dodgers at 7:05 p.m.

The Sox’s other night home game is March 23 against Arizona.

The Sox’s home schedule will conclude April 2 against Milwaukee.

The Sox are scheduled to play at Maryvale against National League Central champion Milwaukee on March 24, according to the Brewers’ website.

The Sox were expected to announce their spring training schedule later this month.

Here is the list of the Sox’s home spring training games, according to the Camelback Ranch website;

March 5 – Los Angeles Dodgers

March 7 – Milwaukee

March 9 – Cubs

March 10 – Texas (1:05 p.m.)

                    Los Angeles Dodgers (7:05 p.m.)

March 12 – Oakland

March 14 – Los Angeles Angels

March 17 – Seattle

March 19 – Cincinnati

March 22 – Kansas City

March 23 – Arizona (7:05 p.m.)

March 25 – San Francisco

March 26 – Los Angeles Dodgers

March 27 – Cleveland

March 28 – San Diego

March 29 – Los Angeles Dodgers

March 31 – Colorado

April 2 – Milwaukee (12:05 p.m.)

A long day ended on a high note for the Chicago White Sox.

CLEVELAND –

A long day ended on a high note for the Chicago White Sox.

Alexei Ramirez’s seventh-inning single broke the game’s final tie and led Chicago to a 5-4 win over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night, giving the White Sox a split of the day-night doubleheader.

Asdrubal Cabrera’s solo home run and six strong innings from Fausto Carmona gave Cleveland a 4-3 win in the first game.

The teams, who were eliminated from the AL Central race last week when Detroit clinched the division, are battling for second place. The Indians lead the White Sox by 1½ games.

Trailing 4-0 in the fifth, Chicago scored a run in the fifth and two runs in both the sixth and seventh.

“It made the day a little bit nicer,” manager Ozzie Guillen said. “We were down right away and I thought the whole day was going to be very long. We fought back and won the game.”

Matt Thornton (2-5) pitched 1 1-3 innings for the win in the second game and Chris Sale went the final 1 2-3 innings for his seventh save.

Cleveland took a 4-3 lead into the seventh before Chicago rallied against rookie reliever Zach Putnam (0-1). Tyler Flowers started the rally with a single and took third on Gordon Beckham’s third double of the game. Juan Pierre’s groundout tied the game before Ramirez’s bloop single to center over a drawn-in infield gave Chicago the lead.

Beckham became the first White Sox player to have three doubles in a game since Aaron Rowand in 2005.

“It’s one of those days I’ve been searching for,” Beckham said. “Unfortunately, it comes with eight games left. I’m glad we came back and won that game. We showed some fight.”

“It’s nice to see this kid swing the bat the way he did,” Guillen said of Beckham. “He was kind of down the last couple of days. We’re all glad he got those hits.”

Both teams started rookies in the second game. Dylan Axelrod, making his second major-league start, allowed four runs in 4 2-3 innings for the White Sox while Zach McAllister, in his third big-league start, gave up two runs in 5 1-3 innings for the Indians.

Cleveland used four rookie pitchers in the second game, which led to problems finding the plate. Putnam hit Paul Konerko in the hip in the seventh inning. Josh Judy hit Beckham in the back and Ramirez in the shoulder in the ninth. Guillen wasn’t happy seeing so many of his players get drilled, but didn’t think it was intentional.

“I don’t think they were throwing at them,” he said. “It’s a bunch of kids up from the minor leagues. You can do nothing about it. All you can do is run to first base and get the trainers.”

Cleveland managed one hit off Axelrod through three innings before scoring four times in the fourth. Jim Thome’s RBI single gave Cleveland the lead. Matt LaPorta’s run-scoring double and sacrifice flies by Grady Sizemore and Jack Hannahan completed the scoring.

McAllister held the White Sox scoreless until the fifth when Beckham’s RBI double scored Chicago’s first run. Alejandro De Aza’s two-run double off Rafael Perez in the sixth cut the lead to one.

Cabrera strained his back while batting in the eighth inning of the first game and didn’t play in the second game.

Carmona (7-15) allowed three runs in six innings and won for the first time since Aug. 17.

Travis Hafner and Kosuke Fukudome also homered off Gavin Floyd (12-12), who hasn’t won since Aug. 29.

Hafner’s two-run homer in the first gave Cleveland the lead, but Chicago tied the game in the second on Adam Dunn’s RBI double and De Aza’s run-scoring single.

Cabrera’s home run put Cleveland ahead and was his 24th of the season. Cabrera, who entered Saturday’s game against Minnesota in an 0-for-20 slump, has eight hits in his last 13 at-bats. He leads the Indians with 87 RBIs, eclipsing his previous career high of 68 in 2009.

“I’m really happy with what I’ve done, but I haven’t thought too much about it,” he said. “I think we’ve had a good season, and it’s not over yet.”

NOTES: The first game was the makeup of a July 23 rainout at Progressive Field. … Guillen says LHP Mark Buehrle will start Wednesday night. Buehrle (11-9, 3.74 ERA) has sore biceps after being hit with a ball in his last start. RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (4-2, 4.56) will start for the Indians. … Guillen played most of his regulars in Tuesday’s first game. … The Indians are playing nine games in seven days on their final homestand of the season. Cleveland played a makeup game with Seattle on Monday and will play another day-night doubleheader against Minnesota on Saturday. … The Indians recalled RHP Corey Kluber from Triple-A Columbus.

Alexei Ramirez’s seventh-inning single broke the game’s final tie and led Chicago to a 5-4 win over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night, giving the White Sox a split of the day-night doubleheader.

Asdrubal Cabrera’s solo home run and six strong innings from Fausto Carmona gave Cleveland a 4-3 win in the first game.

The teams, who were eliminated from the AL Central race last week when Detroit clinched the division, are battling for second place. The Indians lead the White Sox by 1 1/2 games.

Matt Thornton (2-5) pitched 1 1/3 innings for the win in the second game and Chris Sale went the final 1 2/3 innings for his seventh save.

Cleveland took a 4-3 lead into the seventh before Chicago rallied against rookie reliever Zach Putnam (0-1). Tyler Flowers started the rally with a single and took third on Gordon Beckham’s third double of the game. Juan Pierre’s groundout tied the game before Ramirez’s bloop single to center over a drawn-in infield gave Chicago the lead.

Both teams started rookies in the second game. Dylan Axelrod, making his second major-league start, allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings for the White Sox while Zach McAllister, in his third big-league start, gave up two runs in 5 1-3 innings for the Indians.

Cleveland managed one hit off Axelrod through three innings before scoring four times in the fourth. Jim Thome’s RBI single gave Cleveland the lead. Matt LaPorta’s run-scoring double and sacrifice flies by Grady Sizemore and Jack Hannahan completed the scoring.

Singles by Jason Donald and Carlos Santana started the inning. Thome singled sharply past a diving Paul Konerko at first base to score Donald. After Shelley Duncan walked to load the bases, Sizemore’s fly ball to left was deep enough to score Santana.

LaPorta’s line drive to right was misjudged by Dayan Viciedo, who got a bad jump and broke back too late to make the catch. Hannahan’s fly ball to center scored the inning’s final run.

McAllister held the White Sox scoreless until the fifth when Beckham’s RBI double scored Chicago’s first run. Alejandro De Aza’s two-run double off Rafael Perez in the sixth cut the lead to one.

Cleveland’s pitchers hit three Chicago batters in the second game.

Cabrera strained his back while batting in the eighth inning of the first game and didn’t play in the second game.

Carmona (7-15) allowed three runs in six innings and won for the first time since Aug. 17.

Travis Hafner and Kosuke Fukudome also homered off Gavin Floyd (12-12), who hasn’t won since Aug. 29.

Hafner’s two-run homer in the first gave Cleveland the lead, but Chicago tied the game in the second on Adam Dunn’s RBI double and Alejandro De Aza’s run-scoring single.

Cabrera’s home run put Cleveland ahead and was his 24th of the season. Cabrera, who entered Saturday’s game against Minnesota in an 0-for-20 slump, has eight hits in his last 13 at-bats.

NOTES: The first game was the makeup of a July 23 rainout at Progressive Field. … White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen says LHP Mark Buehrle will start Wednesday night. Buehrle (11-9, 3.74 ERA) has sore biceps after being hit with a ball in his last start. RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (4-2, 4.56) will start for the Indians. … Guillen played most of his regulars in Tuesday’s first game. … The White Sox are 9-6 against the Indians with three games to play in the season series. … Hannahan was a defensive replacement at third base in the eighth inning of the first game, his first appearance since straining his left calf Sept. 4. He started the second game. … C Lou Marson struck out in all three at-bats. … The Indians are playing nine games in seven days on their final homestand of the season. Cleveland played a makeup game with Seattle on Monday and will play another day-night doubleheader against Minnesota on Saturday. … The Indians recalled RHP Corey Kluber from Triple-A Columbus.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Mike Moustakas hit his third home run in four games and Jeff Francoeur hit a three-run homer and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 10-3 Saturday night for their seventh straight victory.

The winning streak is the Royals’ longest since winning seven consecutive Sept. 13-18, 2008. The White Sox have lost seven in a row, matching their longest losing streak of the year.

Moustakas, who had three hits, homered in the fifth with Eric Hosmer, who had doubled aboard. Moustakas and Salvador Perez singled in the fourth and both scored on Alcides Esocbar’s triple.

Francoeur hit his 19th home run in the eighth with Melky Cabrera and Hosmer on base.

Perez and Cabrera each contributed three singles to the Royals’ 18-hit attack. Alcides Escobar doubled and tripled and drove in two runs.

Moustakas, Hosmer and Perez, a trio of highly regarded rookies, combined to go 7 for 14 with two RBIs and scored five runs.

Everett Teaford (2-0), a rookie left-hander, has won both of his starts since moving into the rotation after 23 relief appearances.

He held the White Sox to four hits and one run — Alex Rios’ homer to lead off the second — while walking two and striking out four.

In beating Seattle and Chicago, Teaford has allowed one run and seven hits in 11 innings, while walking three and striking out nine.

Teaford pitched out of trouble in the third and fourth innings. He stranded runners at second and third in the third after a Moustakas error and a walk. Teaford retired Gordon Beckham on a fly to center to end the fourth with the bases full.

White Sox rookie right-hander Zack Stewart (2-5), who was acquired in a July 27 trade with Toronto, allowed five runs and 11 hits in five innings. He has given up 18 hits and 11 runs in 10 innings in losing his past two starts.

The White Sox scored two runs in the seventh off Nate Adcock, yet another Royals rookie. Tyler Flowers scored on an Adcock wild pitch, while Brent Morel came home on a Juan Pierre ground out.

Adcock worked the final three innings for his first major league save.

Notes: RHP Luis Mendoza will be promoted from Triple-A Omaha and start Tuesday for the Royals against Detroit. Mendoza went 12-5 with a Pacific Coast League-leading 2.18 ERA. He went 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in two playoff starts. Omaha wrapped up the PCL championship Saturday with Lance Zawadski getting four hits and David Lough hitting a two-run HR in an 11-6 victory at Sacramento to sweep the series. … Royals closer Joakim Soria remains sidelined with a strained right hamstring, which he injured Sunday. … White Sox DH Adam Dunn is 4 for 87 against left-handed pitching after a fourth-inning single off Teaford. … LHP John Danks, who is 0-3 with a 10.91 ERA in his past three starts, will start Sunday for the White Sox. … LHP Bruce Chen, who struck out eight and held Minnesota to two hits in eight scoreless innings in winning his previous start, will be the Kansas City starter in the finale of this four-game series.

Written by

The Sports Network

SEATTLE (AP) – Dayan Viciedo made a sudden impact in his return to the majors, hitting a three-run homer in his season debut as the Chicago White Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 9-3 Sunday for a sweep.

Tyler Flowers connected for his first career grand slam, helping Gavin Floyd (12-10) cruise to victory.

Viciedo was called up from Triple-A Charlotte on Saturday when the White Sox placed outfielder Carlos Quentin on the 15-day disabled list.

Viciedo put up strong numbers in Charlotte, batting .297 with 20 home runs and 78 RBIs this year. He was up with the White Sox for 38 games in 2010 and hit five home runs with 13 RBIs while batting .308.

Manager Ozzie Guillen said Saturday that Viciedo is up with the team to play, not to sit on the bench. The newly promoted right fielder singled in his first at-bat, then homered over the right-center field fence off Jason Vargas (7-12) the next time up.

The White Sox scored six times in the sixth after Paul Konerko and Alex Rios led off with singles and Viciedo drew a one-out walk that loaded the bases. Flowers cleared them with a shot into the White Sox bullpen in left field.

Gordon Beckham and Juan Pierre got hits to chase Vargas, and Brent Lillibridge and Konerko followed with two more singles off reliever Josh Lueke to drive in a pair and give the White Sox a 9-0 lead.

Floyd blanked the Mariners on just two hits over the first seven innings. Kyle Seager reached on a strikeout to start the eighth as Floyd’s wild pitch careened to the backstop, and Josh Bard ended the Mariners’ 21-inning scoreless streak with a two-run home run off the foul pole in right field.

Singles from Ichiro Suzuki and Franklin Gutierrez forced Floyd from the game. After a single by Dustin Ackley loaded the bases, Will Ohman struck out Casper Wells and got Adam Kennedy to line out.

Bard added an RBI groundout in the ninth.

NOTES: Mariners 1B Justin Smoak is expected to begin a rehab assignment on Monday with Triple-A Tacoma. Smoak broke his nose when a groundball caught him in the face. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list on August 13. … Chicago heads home to begin a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins. Mark Buehrle (10-6) will face Kevin Slowey (0-2) in the series opener on Monday. … Seattle will open a four-game set with the Los Angeles Angels Monday with Blake Beavan (3-4) taking the mound against Joel Pineiro (5-6).

Jered Weaver pitched seven innings of four-hit ball in his first start since signing an $85 million contract extension, and Erick Aybar drove in three runs in the Los Angeles Angels’ sixth straight victory, 8-0 over the White Sox on Wednesday night.

Zach Stewart (1-3) allowed seven hits and seven runs while pitching into the seventh inning for Chicago, which wasn’t able to capitalize on two straight losses by Cleveland. Division-leading Detroit and the Indians both lost earlier Wednesday, but the White Sox remained 6½ games behind the Tigers in third place, which they’ve occupied for most of the last four months.

“They can win or lose all they want, but if we don’t win, it doesn’t really matter,” White Sox outfielder Juan Pierre said. “I know some guys scoreboard-watch, but if we don’t take care of our business, we’ll be making fishing plans here soon. We’ve just got to keep battling and hope we turn things around.”

Alejandro De Aza’s third-inning double was the only extra-base hit for the White Sox, who haven’t been above third place since April. They also missed a chance Tuesday to move above .500 for just the second time in four months.

“We were facing a pretty good guy on the mound,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. “It was just one of those games you throw away and come back the next day. We didn’t pitch good, (and) we didn’t put together anything at all (offensively).”

Until the game got away in the seventh inning, Stewart had made a solid return to the White Sox’s rotation after a stint in the bullpen. He made two starts immediately after arriving in a trade with Toronto on July 27, returning to the rotation after an injury to Philip Humber.

“There were so many big pitches where I just left the ball up and missed my spot,” Stewart said. “I put it in a place where (Mathis) could do something with it, and he did.”

Torii Hunter homered for the Angels, and Jeff Mathis had a two-run double during a three-run second inning in a dominant finale to their nine-game homestand. Los Angeles’ second straight series sweep and Texas’ 13-2 loss to Boston trimmed the Angels’ deficit in the AL West to just 2½ games before they head into a weekend series at Rangers Ballpark on Friday.

“I love the way we’re playing ball right now,” Hunter said. “We’ve got some guys with some heart. We’re going in to play the first-place team, and we’re 2½ games back. We’re riding that wave.”

Los Angeles scored four runs in the seventh, prompting manager Mike Scioscia to call an early night for Weaver (15-6), who received one total run of support in his previous three starts combined. Weaver didn’t need that much help while emphatically ending a four-start winless streak, striking out eight and allowing just one runner to reach third base.

“He throws his cutter and his changeup for strikes, and people sometimes start chasing bad pitches because they’re worried about getting deep into counts,” Guillen said. “That’s the reason we got shut out today. I don’t think he’s the best in the game, but he’s right there.”

A day earlier, Los Angeles announced Weaver had agreed to a five-year deal through 2016, passing up unrestricted free agency to stay in Orange County. Although the Angels scored just eight runs in Weaver’s last six starts, the AL All-Star game starter’s 15 victories already are one short of his career high in 2009.

After Aybar drove home Mark Trumbo for the Angels’ first run in the second inning, Mathis pounded a double into the left-center gap, scoring Vernon Wells and Aybar. Mathis entered the game batting .176, but his rapport with Weaver makes him valuable to the Angels.

Hunter hit a two-out shot well beyond the left-field wall in the third inning, his 18th homer of the season. The steady slugger is closing in on his sixth straight 20-homer season.

Aybar laced a two-run double down the first-base line in the seventh, followed by back-to-back RBI doubles by Alberto Callaspo and Bobby Abreu against reliever Josh Kinney.

NOTES: More bad news for Texas: Scioscia is contemplating using Ervin Santana and Weaver on short rest after 13-game winner Dan Haren starts the opener at Rangers Ballpark. Los Angeles started rookies Garrett Richards and Tyler Chatwood in the first two games of last week’s series with the Rangers, who beat both soundly. … Jake Peavy will start for the White Sox on Friday when they open a series in Seattle against Charlie Furbush and the Mariners. … Abreu’s 547th career double tied him with Manny Ramirez for 25th on baseball’s career list.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Texas Rangers consolidated top spot in American League East with an important win over the Chicago White Sox in Major League Baseball on Friday.

The Rangers made it 12 wins from 15 games as Mitch Moreland hit two homers and Josh Hamilton another in their 7-4 win over the White Sox.

All their runs came in the fourth and sixth innings.The Washington Nationals hit six runs at the bottom of the ninth inning in an 8-4 upset win over National League East leaders Philadelphia Phillies.

Ryan Zimmerman capped it off with a grand slam after the Phillies had gone 4-0 up at the top of the third.

Austin Jackson hit two runs in the sixth inning to help Detroit Tigers to a 4-1 win over the Cleveland Indians.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a three-run homer as the Boston Red Sox thrashed the Kansas City Royals 7-1, while Johnny Damon scored the go-ahead run as the Tampa Bay Rays edged the Seattle Mariners 3-2.

Boston’s win kept the pressure on the New York Yankees, who top the American League East by just half a game.But they too were in control, easing past the Minnesota Twins 8-1, with Russell Martin hitting two homers.

Pinch-hitter Tyler Colvin hit a walk-off single to help the Chicago Cubs to a 5-4 win over the St Louis Cardinals, while a four-run first inning set the Los Angeles Angels on their way to an 8-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.

Rich Harden held the Toronto Blue Jays to just two hits as the Oakland Athletics won their encounter 2-0.

Elsewhere, the Atlanta Braves beat Western leaders Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2, the Houston Astros won their third straight game with a 6-0 defeat of the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers recorded an impressive 8-2 win over the Colorado Rockies.

Milwaukee Brewers were too strong for the New York Mets in a 6-1 win, while San Diego Padres edged the Florida Marlins 4-3.

The Cincinnati Reds had an 11-8 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in a game that featured 29 hits.

Written by

The Sports Network

CHICAGO — Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko each hit two-run homers and the Chicago White Sox spoiled the debut of Oakland interim manager Bob Melvin, beating the Athletics 9-4 on Thursday night.

Melvin replaced Bob Geren earlier in the day, but the change couldn’t keep Oakland from its 10th straight defeat.

Mark Buehrle (6-4) threw seven strong innings and improved to 5-1 with a 3.00 ERA in his last seven starts. He allowed seven hits and three runs for the White Sox, who have won six of their last nine and 20 of 32.

Dunn was back in the lineup after sitting out two games because of a miserable start in which he has hit . 176. He was hit by a pitch and scored in Chicago’s three-run second. He homered for the first time since May 24, a two-run shot in the third.

Trevor Cahill (6-4) lasted just 2 2-3 innings, his shortest outing of the season. He was unlucky to an extent, allowing four infield hits on dribblers in front of the plate. But he also walked three, hit a batter and allowed Dunn’s two-run blast.

It was a rocky introduction for Melvin, who went 493-508 in previous managerial stops in Seattle and Arizona. The Athletics, who entered last in the AL with 223 runs scored, scored three runs or less for the fifth straight game, and eighth time during their skid. Oakland last lost 10 straight from July 28-Aug. 7, 2008.

In the second, the White Sox loaded the bases on A.J. Pierzynski’s walk, Alex Rios’ single and Dunn’s hit by pitch. After Oakland third baseman Adam Rosales dropped a foul pop, Omar Vizquel hit a sacrifice fly to right to plate Chicago’s first run.

Gordon Beckham reached on a tapper in front of the plate, reloading the bases. Juan Pierre walked in a run, and then Alexei Ramirez hit a dribbler up the third-base line that Cahill was unable to handle, scoring the inning’s third run.

As maddening as that inning was for Cahill, the third was more of the same — at least after Dunn’s two-run shot to barely cleared the left-field fence for his sixth homer of the year.

Vizquel followed that with another short dribbler to reach first. Beckham singled and Pierre reached on yet another infield hit to load the bases. Ramirez drew a walk to score Vizquel, a fitting end to a frustrating night for Cahill, who gave way to reliever Bobby Cramer.

Cahill is now 0-4 in his last six starts.

Meanwhile, Buehrle allowed Rosales’ run-scoring single in the second, the last of three straight singles for Oakland. He then settled down to throw 4 2-3 scoreless innings, allowing only a walk and an infield single in the third.

Buehrle ran into trouble in the seventh when Kurt Suzuki hit a leadoff single and Hideki Matsui hit his fourth homer of the season, cutting Chicago’s lead to 6-3.

The White Sox tacked on three runs in the eighth on Carlos Quentin’s sacrifice fly and Konerko’s two-run blast, all off Oakland reliever Brian Fuentes.

Oakland rookie Jemile Weeks drove in his first career run on a bloop single in the ninth.

Notes: Quentin extended his hitting streak to 11 games, while Konerko extended his to 10. … Dunn’s homer was the 360th of his career, breaking a tie with Johnny Mize for 74th on the career list. … Saying he was glad to be back in the lineup, Dunn said that during his rest he learned “(I) don’t like sitting out.” Manager Ozzie Guillen had a request for Dunn: “I asked, ’Could you please have a good day so then they don’t have to ask me anymore questions about you? Please have a good day so (hitting coach) Greg Walker doesn’t have to drink a bottle of wine to forget about your bad night?”’ … The game was the 1,200th for Guillen, who began the night with a 630-569 record. He is tied with Boston’s Terry Francona for the fourth-longest current tenure as manager with one club, behind St. Louis’ Tony La Russa (1996), the Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Scioscia (2000) and Minnesota’s Ron Gardenhire (2002). … Chicago improved to 136-135 at home against Oakland. … Graham Godfrey will start for Oakland on Friday in his big league debut.