OAKLAND, Calif. — Twenty hits. Ten runs. Another home run for Elvis Andrus.
The beat goes on for the White Sox, who won their fourth straight game and ninth in their last 11 by routing the struggling Athletics 10-2 Saturday, positioning themselves to complete a four-game sweep Sunday with manager Tony La Russa in the house.
Under bench coach and acting manager Miguel Cairo, the Sox improved to 9-3, including 5-1 on a road trip that began against the playoff-bound Mariners. Andrus homered for the second time in the series, a day after his two-run double broke a tie in the Sox’ five-run ninth inning of a 5-3 victory.
Andrus’ homer against A’s righty Adrian Martinez (4-4) was the Sox’ 21st in the last 12 games, following a dry run of 18 homers over the previous 27 games. Martinez allowed 14 hits in 3 2/3 innings.
The Sox (72-68) had 20 hits or more twice in a three-game for only the second time in history. They also did it June 19 (at Cleveland) and June 21 (at Minnesota) of 1974. AJ Pollock and Andrew Vaughn each had four hits and Eloy Jimenez had three with three RBI. Every Sox starter had at least one hit except for Gavin Sheets, who went 0-for-5.
Vaughn and Yasmani Grandal each drove in two runs.
Right-hander Lance Lynn (6-5) pitched six innings, allowing no earned runs over six innings to lower his ERA to 4.07. He is 4-0 with a 1.19 ERA over his last six starts.
Lynn would have had a much easier time if not for second baseman Josh Harrison’s fielding and throwing errors which put two unearned runs on the board.
Lynn struck out five and walked one. He appeared to tweak his surgically repaired right knee during the first inning running toward first base on a grounder to first baseman Jose Abreu but pitched through it, throwing 107 pitches.
Lynn has struck out 78 batters and walked six over his last 11 starts, the best ratio in the majors during that span.
La Russa will not be in uniform but will be at Sunday’s game to attend the pregame uniform retirement ceremony of former A’s pitcher Dave Stewart. La Russa hasn’t seen his team since Aug. 30, and is awaiting clearance from his doctors to get back on the job.
The Sox trailed the first place Guardians by 1 1/2 games in the AL Central entering play Saturday.
