Johnson stifles A's offense; White Sox rally late in tie
PHOENIX -- White Sox starter Erik Johnson went four innings, giving up one run and four hits with one walk and five strikeouts in a 2-2 tie against the A's on Sunday afternoon at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
"Any lineup is going to be a good lineup here facing those big league teams," Johnaon said after facing Oakland's regular lineup. "For me, working ahead and throwing first-pitch strikes, and I did that a lot better this time."
The White Sox scored an unearned run off lefty Tommy Milone in the sixth. Gordon Beckham ended up on third after Yoenis Cespedes, battling the sun, couldn't catch a routine fly ball, and pinch-runner Micah Johnson proceeded to come home on a Jeff Keppinger groundout.
Johnson scored the tying run in the eighth when A's second baseman Jake Elmore couldn't handle a grounder by Blake Tekotte.
Oakland third baseman Josh Donaldson was just 2-for-17 with no extra-base hits when he stepped up to the plate against Chicago right-hander Dylan Axelrod and homered to center field to lead off the fifth.
It was the second run of the day for the A's, who got an RBI base hit from Eric Sogard in the bottom of the third against Johnson, following Stephen Vogt's leadoff double. Vogt, battling for a catching job, is 9-for-18 (.500) in seven games this spring.
For the A's, righty Dan Straily walked three in 3 1/3 innings, but didn't give up a run, allowing two hits and fanning two along the way.
Oakland's Brandon Moss collected two hits, bringing his Cactus League average to .533.
Up next: It wasn't exactly a stellar performance for Chris Sale when he was last on the mound against the Padres, allowing six runs on six hits over 2 1/3 innings. But that performance came after 2 2/3 scoreless innings against the Dodgers where he fanned four. Cactus League start No. 3 comes for the White Sox ace on Monday against the Brewers, with a 3:05 p.m. CT first pitch in a free exclusive audio webcast on whitesox.com. The game will also air on MLB.TV. Adam Dunn also is expected to return to the lineup after two days out.