Gimenez drives in three as White Sox pound A's

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The White Sox strung together two big innings on Saturday afternoon, and it turned out to be more than enough.

Chicago scored three runs in the second inning and four in the fourth before cruising to an 11-5 victory over the A's before a crowd of 5,547 at Camelback Ranch.

The A's, fielding a split squad, started the scoring in the second, getting to White Sox left-hander Chris Sale with a Derek Norris single, two walks, and the biggest blow, a bases-loaded double by Michael Taylor with two outs that drove in three runs and gave Oakland a 3-0 lead.

It was short-lived. The White Sox rallied right back in the bottom of the frame against Oakland starter Jarrod Parker, with catcher Hector Gimenez singling in a run and second baseman Conor Gillaspie driving in two more with a two-out double.

The back-and-forth continued in the top of the third, when Scott Sizemore led off for Oakland and tripled, scoring two batters later on a Josh Donaldson sacrifice fly.

But once again the White Sox answered quickly. In the bottom of the third, they sent eight batters to the plate and rung out four runs on five hits, including consecutive triples by Gimenez (two RBIs) and Steve Tolleson (one RBI) and an RBI double by Jordan Danks.

It was not a banner day for the starters. Parker gave up seven runs (five earned) on nine hits in three-plus innings, striking out three and walking two. Sale -- officially named Chicago's Opening Day starter before the game -- went five-plus innings and gave up five runs on seven hits while also striking out three and walking two.

White Sox reliever Ramon Troncoso came in for Sale to begin the sixth, but left after two outs due to a fingernail that split open on his pitching hand.

The White Sox tacked on two more runs in the seventh on a fielder's-choice RBI by Danks and an RBI single by Jim Gallagher.

Up next: The White Sox head up the road to Surprise Stadium on Sunday, St. Patrick's Day, to face the Kansas City Royals in a 3:05 p.m. CT start. The White Sox will don green caps to honor the day. Right-hander Zach Stewart will take the hill for Chicago against Kansas City righty Luis Mendoza, last seen pitching for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.

Earlier in the day, at 10 a.m. MST/noon CT, pitchers Jose Quintana, Hector Santiago and Jesse Crain are scheduled to pitch in a "B" game against the Dodgers at the Camelback Ranch complex.