Athletics' Cotton looks to duplicate success vs. White Sox

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Athletics right-hander Jharel Cotton will make his first start since June 23 on Monday night when Oakland opens a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox at the Oakland Coliseum.

Cotton hopes to pick up where he left off when a blister on his right thumb forced him to leave a gem against the White Sox in Chicago in the sixth inning. He threw five shutout innings in a 3-0 victory, allowing three hits while striking out three and walking one. That was his first career appearance against the White Sox.

"I get to go back out there again and pitch against the same team and give my team a chance to win, go as deep as I can, save the bullpen," Cotton said Sunday before Oakland's 4-3, 12-inning loss to the Atlanta Braves. "Hopefully it stays intact."

Cotton was initially slated to start on Saturday, but the A's decided to give him a few extra days to recover from his injury and prepare. He threw a bullpen session Saturday and experienced no issues.

"I've been through a couple blisters before, but I've never taken this long," Cotton said. "Trainers are doing a good job, so it healed. They took great care of it, and now it's ready to go."

Cotton (5-7, 5.02 ERA) has won consecutive starts for the first time in his career. In his past six starts since being recalled from Triple-A Nashville, he is 2/3 with a 4.28 ERA and a .223 opponents' batting average.

Cotton's outing sparked what turned out to be a three-game sweep of the White Sox. The A's outscored Chicago by a combined score of 18-5 during the series.

Since then, the White Sox have gone 4-3, including a 6-5 victory Sunday against Texas. Chicago took two of three from the Rangers to win the series.

White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon will make his second start of the season on Monday. He opened the season on the disabled list due to left biceps bursitis and made his debut Wednesday in a 12-3 loss to the Yankees.

Rodon (0-1, 0.00 ERA) allowed three unearned runs -- all in the first inning -- on two hits over five innings. He struck out two and walked six. Three of the walks came in the first inning, when he threw 37 pitches.

"It was good to be back on the mound," Rodon said after the game. "A little rough in the first and the second. Walks didn't help. Good team defense, really, got me through the fifth. I was pretty excited. I was going a little fast in the first, but it was good to be out there. Next time out, it'll hopefully be a little better. Arm feels good, body feels good. All you can ask for."

Over his career, Rodon is 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA in two starts against the Athletics.

Since their sweep of the White Sox, the A's have gone 1-5. They lost two of three at Houston then were swept three games at home by the Braves.

Oakland has lost five straight overall and an ongoing season-high seven straight at home.