Moncada powers White Sox past Athletics 10-3

CHICAGO -- White Sox manager Rick Renteria has been talking with Yoan Moncada about his focus lately.

The talented second baseman sure looked locked in on Sunday.

Moncada broke out of a slump with a three-run homer and six RBI, and the White Sox beat the Oakland Athletics 10-3 for a split of their four-game series.

"Anytime you're going through a rough moment, you have doubts, you have questions," Moncada said through an interpreter. "But when you keep working hard, you can answer those questions.

"I keep grinding and just working hard."

Daniel Palka and Yolmer Sanchez also connected for the White Sox, who had lost nine of 10. Carlos Rodon (1-2) pitched a season-high eight innings in his fourth start after missing the beginning of the year while recovering from shoulder surgery last September.

Moncada, who hit .183 over the previous 35 games, gave the White Sox a 3-2 lead with a three-run double in the fifth. Moncada then scored on Avisail Garcia's single, and Jose Abreu added another RBI single.

Palka, Sanchez and Moncada all went deep in the sixth. Moncada belted a three-run drive for his 10th homer, making it 10-2 Chicago.

"I think he's probably giving a little bit of a wakeup call to himself in terms of where he sees himself," Renteria said. "I think he's also learned that truly you have to take every single pitch of a game into consideration because they all matter.

"I think he's starting to realize that maybe I have to have a little bit more focus and intensity."

Oakland set a modern major league record when Mark Canha hit a drive to left on Rodon's first pitch of the fifth, extending the A's streak to 25 straight road games with a homer. Canha also opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the second.

A's right-hander Paul Blackburn (1-2) allowed six runs and eight hits in five-plus innings. He permitted only one baserunner through the first four, but got into trouble with two out in the fifth.

The rally started with back-to-back singles by Omar Narvaez and Leury Garcia, and then Blackburn hit ninth hitter Adam Engel with a pitch.

"Garcia didn't look very good on a couple changeups I threw. I threw another one that was a little up and he kind of flipped it over there (right field)," Blackburn said. "Then I hit (Engel), and it was kind of downhill from there."

Rodon allowed two runs and seven hits. The eight innings matched his career high.

"It was good to go eight and just be ahead of guys," Rodon said. "There's up and down days when you go through shoulder surgery or any kind of surgery for a player. You just have to work through it, try to make your way back."

ANOTHER STOP

Well-traveled right-hander Edwin Jackson will be activated on Monday and start for Oakland at Detroit.

The A's will become his 13th major league team, which ties retired right-hander Octavio Dotel for the major league record. The 34-year-old went 0-1 with a 4.02 ERA in three starts for Triple-A Nashville. He owns a 98-120 major league record and 4.67 ERA in 15 seasons.

"I'm probably the only guy in the clubhouse that has never met him, but I did earlier today," A's manager Bob Melvin said.

Outfielder Nick Martini will be sent to Triple-A Nashville to open a spot for Jackson on the roster.

HISTORIC HOMER

Melvin said the team celebrated Canha's record-setting home run in the dugout.

"It's nice to hang your hat on, but it certainly would have been a little better if we had won the game," Melvin said.

The previous record was set by the Orioles in 1996.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Athletics: RHP Daniel Mengden (sprained right foot) returned to the Bay Area to consult with team physicians. The injury is not believed to be related to his previous right foot injuries. "We'll probably know a little bit more in the next couple of days," Melvin said. ... INF Matt Chapman (right hand contusion) could have a cortisone shot in the wrist area on Monday and will sit out the Tigers series. He had an injection in his thumb last Monday. The hope is the trouble spot has been localized and he'll be available on the next homestand.

White Sox: RHP prospect Dane Dunning left his start Saturday for Double-A Birmingham with right elbow soreness, Renteria said. He will undergo an MRI.

UP NEXT

Athletics: Jackson will make his A's debut in the opener of a four-game series in Detroit. RHP Jordan Zimmermann (2-0, 4.95 ERA) goes for the Tigers.

White Sox: Following an off day, the White Sox begin a three-game set against visiting Minnesota on Tuesday. RHP Reynaldo Lopez (2-5, 3.59 ERA) opposes Twins RHP Lance Lynn (5-5, 4.64 ERA) in the opener.