White Sox hold off A’s to avoid a sweep

OAKLAND — Jake Burger hit his 18th home run and the Chicago White Sox beat the Oakland Athletics 8-7 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.

Zach Remillard added a two-run single and Eloy Jiménez had a pair of RBI singles as the White Sox finished their seven-game road trip 3-4.

Brent Rooker homered for Oakland hours after being named an All-Star.

Chicago jumped on A’s starter Paul Blackburn for five runs in the third inning. Tim Anderson started the scoring with a sacrifice fly, followed by Jiménez’s first RBI single.

Gavin Sheets was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a third run and Remillard singled home two more to make it 5-0.

Blackburn (1-1) gave up five runs on six hits in five innings, striking out five and walking four.

Oakland got two runs back in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Tony Kemp and a bases-loaded walk by Seth Brown.

JJ Bleday doubled home a run in the fifth to make it 5-3.

Andrew Benintendi had a sacrifice fly in the sixth, followed by Jiménez’s second RBI single. Burger homered 442 feet to center in the seventh.

Rooker hit a two-run homer 441 feet to center in the eighth.

Bleday added another RBI double in the ninth, followed by an RBI single by Brown to bring the A’s within 1. But Gregory Santos got Jace Peterson to line out to right, earning his first career save.

Touki Toussaint made his third appearance and first start for the White Sox, allowing two runs and three hits in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked four in a no-decision.

Aaron Bummer (3-1) was credited with the win, allowing a run in 2 1/3 innings with two strikeouts.

The Athletics were seeking their second sweep of the season but finished their six-game homestand 3-3.

BROTHERLY LOVE

Before the game, A’s backup catcher Carlos Pérez and his brother of the same name, White Sox backup catcher Carlos Pérez, caught ceremonial first pitches from the Oakland catcher’s two children, Marcela and Mateo.

FIRST-TIME ALL-STARS

Rooker and White Sox OF Luis Robert Jr. were each selected to their first All-Star Game. Rooker leads Oakland with 14 home runs and 41 RBIs. He is batting .243 with an .816 OPS in 72 games.

Robert ranks second in the American League with 24 homers. He leads Chicago with a .912 OPS, batting .276 with 46 RBIs in 83 games.

ROSTER MOVES

White Sox: Placed RHP Michael Kopech on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to June 29, with right shoulder inflammation. Chicago selected RHP Bryan Shaw from Triple-A Charlotte and transferred INF Romy Gonzalez (right shoulder inflammation) to the 60-day IL.

Athletics: Reinstated LHP Richard Lovelady (strained left elbow) from the 15-day IL and optioned LHP Kyle Muller to Triple-A Las Vegas.

UP NEXT

Athletics: LHP JP Sears (1-6, 4.43) tries to snap a three-game losing streak Tuesday night when Oakland opens a three-game series in Detroit. The Tigers hadn’t announced a starter.