Barreto's 2-HR, 6-RBI outburst carries A's in G1

CHICAGO -- Rain pushed back Thursday's series opener at Guaranteed Rate Field to Friday, but it did little to cool off the streaking A's.
That's especially true of young second baseman Franklin Barreto.
Barreto cracked a pair of three-run home runs and Sean Manaea tossed one-run ball over seven innings, leading the A's over the White Sox 11-2 for their season-high fifth consecutive win in the first game of a doubleheader.
Jonathan Lucroy, Jed Lowrie and Khris Davis each added an RBI as the A's took advantage of a sloppy Chicago defense.

Barreto, who's played in nine games this season, also hit a three-run blast on Wednesday in San Diego. All of the 22-year-old's homers (3) and RBIs (9) this season have come in the past two games. Barreto now has five career homers: three against the White Sox in Chicago.
"I have good memories here," Barreto said. "Last year, I got my first hit [here]. It felt comfortable."
The A's have hit an MLB-best 64 homers on the road this season in 35 games. They have 36 homers in 40 home games.
The support was plenty for Manaea (7-6), who scattered five hits in seven innings, struck out seven and didn't walk a batter. The left-hander is from nearby Valparaiso, Ind., and had about 100 family and friends in attendance.

The A's wasted little time taking command. After they loaded the bases with one out in the second -- on a single, a walk and an error by second baseman Yoán Moncada -- Lucroy hit a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0. Barreto then followed with a three-run blast to left field off James Shields for a 4-0 lead.
The A's also produced a four-run fifth inning.
Lucroy led off with a walk and went to third on a single by Dustin Fowler. After Marcus Semien popped out, Lowrie singled to plate Lucroy and make it 5-1. Davis then followed with a liner to left. Leury García took a strange route to the ball, which bounced behind him as two runners scored and Davis pulled into second. Davis was credited with a single and an RBI, while Garcia was charged with an error for letting the second run score.

Matt Olson appeared to make the final out of the inning when he grounded into the shift on the right side, but Moncada booted it for his second error.
Davis capped the rally by scoring from third on a wild pitch as Mark Canha struck out.

After the White Sox scored in the sixth, Barreto hit his second three-run blast in the eighth -- this one off Luis Avilán -- to make it 11-1.
"We all know [Barreto] has that in him," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "It's just about getting some consistent at-bats. When he's swinging the bat well, he's definitely capable of doing that."
SOUND SMART
With the home runs, the A's established a franchise record by going deep in 22 consecutive road games. They also homered in 21 straight games during the 2013 season (July 21 to Sept. 13). The Major League record is 24 by the Baltimore Orioles in 1996.
HE SAID IT
"Seven innings when you have a doubleheader is big for you. You don't use up much of the bullpen." -- Melvin, on Manaea's start
UP NEXT
Following a doubleheader on Friday, the A's and White Sox play a matinee on Saturday, with a first pitch of 11:10 a.m. PT. Daniel Mengden takes the mound, looking to rebound from his recent struggles. The right-hander is 0-2 with a 10.05 ERA in three June starts, allowing at least two home runs in each of them. His eight homers surrendered in June is tied for the most in the Majors. Dylan Covey pitches for the White Sox.