Cueto struggles, A's rout Sox 10-3 to avoid sweep

OAKLAND, Calif. - Ramón Laureano hit a two-run homer and Vimael Machin hit a two-run double in the decisive fifth inning to back Cole Irvin's second straight winning decision, and the Oakland Athletics beat the White Sox 10-3 on Sunday to snap a five-game losing streak.

The defending AL Central champion Sox had a four-game winning streak end with just the club's third loss in 12 games as it chases first-place Cleveland in the division race down the September stretch.

Machin delivered in the A's six-run sixth moments after a tying single by Tony Kemp, who homered in the sixth. Seth Brown hit an RBI double in the first against Johnny Cueto (7-8) lost for the first time in six career starts against Oakland.

Irvin (8-11) allowed three runs - two earned - on four hits, struck out five and walked two over seven impressive innings.

A's outfielder Chad Pinder was ejected after the first inning when he came out to confront third base umpire Edwin Moscoso and had to be restrained by Machin. Pinder certainly was still upset about a foul ball call moments earlier down the left-field foul line when he thought he had an RBI single. The A's challenged the call and it was confirmed as foul.

Manager Mark Kotsay also ran out to argue but stayed in the game.

Cueto was tagged for seven runs, five earned, on eight hits over 4⅔ innings.

A moment of silence was held to remember Sept. 11 victims.