CHICAGO (AP) — José Abreu and Eloy Jiménez homered, Dylan Cease threw six strong innings and the Chicago White Sox beat the Oakland Athletics 4-1 on Sunday.
Abreu and Leury García had two hits apiece for the White Sox, who have won 10 of 15 and returned to above .500. Chicago, the preseason favorite to win the AL Central, trailed first-place Minnesota by three games entering the day.
“We’re literally in contention, so I think we’re going to be excited about it and treat every series like it’s the last one we’re going to play and know we have to get a lot of wins,” manager Tony La Russa said. “The most fun that you can have during the regular season is to get to the last two months and have a chance. It’s where everything is amped up in every moment and every at-bat. We’re in a position to do that. We just have to get the wins.”
Liam Hendriks pitched around Ramón Laureano’s double in the ninth for his 20th save in 23 opportunities.
Cease (11-4) allowed a run and four hits, striking out seven and walking one. The right-hander has won four straight starts and allowed no more than one earned run in each of his last 12 outings.
“I want to be consistent,” Cease said. “I want to be someone you can count on. So to give us a chance to win almost every time, it’s as much as I can ask for.”
Laureano homered for the A’s, who have the second-worst record in the majors but are 7-4 since the All-Star break.
Jiménez hit his fifth homer off Adam Oller (1-4) in the seventh. Oller allowed four runs, seven hits and no walks, setting career highs for innings (6 1/3) and strikeouts (six).
“That’s the best he’s thrown the ball,” manager Mark Kotsay said.
Chicago scored three in the second inning to take the lead. Abreu led off with his 12th…
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