A’s shutout the White Sox, 2-0

Basso and the bullpen highlight a commanding pitching effort

If someone told you Brady Basso would outduel Garrett Crochet earlier this 2024 season, they may not believe you. But then again, anything can happen in baseball and we’re also talking about the now 33-115 Chicago White Sox.

The A’s took game one of three over the White Sox tonight at Guaranteed Rate Field, 2-0. Besides another solid outing from Basso, some strong support from the A’s bullpen mixed with just enough offense created for their 12th shoutout victory of the season and third win in the last four games.

In the fourth, the A’s drew the games first blood. With Daz Cameron at first, Zack Gelof roped a double to the right-center gap to give the green and gold an early advantage. After his first two at-bats both resulted in hard hit outs, Brent Rooker added another RBI knock in the fifth with a perfectly placed blooper down the right field line. Funny how baseball works sometimes.

On the pitching end, Basso had the A’s taken care of tonight. The rookie lefty in just his second career start (albeit against the lowly White Sox) cashed in a beauty tossing 5.1 scoreless frames while striking out two, walking one and allowing five hits — all singles. The lone walk he surrendered yielded a first and second one-out rally for the White Sox; their first significant threat of the game.

Basso would be removed for Michel Otanez, and Otanez induced a strikeout and lineout to escape the jam and keep the two-run lead intact. Otanez also worked an impressive bottom of the seventh with two punch-outs.

The A’s offense spoiled a golden opportunity to add some insurance in the eighth when Gelof grounded into a double play to end a first and second one-out rally — their second time doing that in the span of three innings. Thankfully tonight the A’s pitching staff was their backbone.

Tyler Ferguson followed Otanez’ footsteps in the eighth pitching a quick 1-2-3 frame while striking out a pair. Then in the ninth, Mason Miller looked Miller-esque with a pair of strikeouts himself. After Basso was removed from the game thanks to an Andrew Benintendi one-out sixth inning single, the A’s bullpen allowed just a singular hit and baserunner for the rest of the game.

Game two kicks off tomorrow night at 4:10 PM PDT as J.T. Ginn squares off against Chris Flexen for the White Sox.