Athletics 3, White Sox 0: Colon outlasts Axelrod

The White Sox offense was easy pickings for Bartolo Colon tonight. The big right hander kept pumping strike after strike and induced a lot of weak contact all night long. Colon, 40, threw a shutout in the Athletics 3-0 victory over the Sox on Friday night.

Dylan Axelrod actually was pitching better than Colon through the first seven innings. Axelrod allowed only two hits through seven. His off-speed stuff was dazzling the A's hitters. Until the eighth inning.

John Jaso led off the frame with a double into the gap in left center. After a mound visit from Don Cooper, Josh Reddick roped a double of his own down the line in right to finally break the tie. That would end Axelrod's night as Matt Thornton was summoned from the bullpen. He walked Brandon Moss and was removed for Jesse Crain. Adam Rosales bunted the runners into scoring position and Coco Crisp followed with a ringing single to center to give the A's the 3-0 lead.

The Sox "best" scoring chance came in the top of the seventh. With one out, Paul Konerko found the hole between third and short and Conor Gillaspie followed with a smash up the middle. Unfortunately, Eric Sogard made a nice play and started the 4-6-3 double play.

Colon's command was outstanding all night. He scattered five singles and didn't walk a batter. He improved to 6-2 with the victory, while Axelrod fell to 3-4.

• Adam Dunn got a hit when he hit a soft ground ball to the left side and beat it out.
• Gillaspie hit the ball hard two times, one for a single and one to start a double play.
• Jeff Keppinger and Alejandro De Aza also added singles.
• Axelrod retired eight in a row to start the game, then after allowing a single, knocked down the next 11.
• The White Sox wasted another outstanding effort from a starting pitcher.
• The Sox have now lost four straight after finally reaching .500 last Sunday.