Reynaldo Lopez’ six strong innings wasted as A’s walk off, sweep White Sox

Athletics walk-off White Sox on shortstop Jose Rondon’s throwing error

OAKLAND, Calif. — Reynaldo Lopez made good on his promise.

The struggling White Sox right-hander, his starter’s role in the team’s future losing some footing after posting a worst-in-baseball 6.34 ERA before the All-Star break, said he would clear his mind during the break and come back fresh, renewed and ready to perform in a better state of mind.

Six innings of one-run ball against the streaking Athletics — the only run scored on him unearned because of a Yoan Moncada fielding error — strongly suggested the 25-year-old did just that.

“The All-Star break gives everybody a chance to take a step back,” manager Rick Renteria said. “A lot of it has more to do with conviction and a mindset. He’s got the stuff.

“Today was a tremendously positive outing for him. He was challenged and he responded.”

Aside from a go-ahead homer by Eloy Jimenez, his fifth in nine games, there was not much positivity from Oakland, where the Sox lost 3-2 in walk-off fashion to complete a three-game series sweep. Pinch hitter Chad Pinder led off the ninth against lefty Jace Fry and scored from first when shortstop Jose Rondon’s errant throw on an attempted force out at second rolled far away into the spacious foul territory at the Coliseum, where the Sox have now lost eight straight games.

“It just went wrong,’’ Rondon said through a translator. “I didn’t have the best angle to throw the ball, and it got away.

“This is a big ballpark with wide foul territory. When you make a bad throw you’re giving them a chance to round the bases.”

As tough as this loss was for the Sox (42-47), Lopez’ outing was a silver lining. He got swinging strikeouts on a 97 mph four-seam fastball, slider and changeup as he racked up seven Ks while allowing three hits and two walks. Staying behind the ball is the mechanical thing pitching coaches Don Cooper and Curt Hasler have hammered home, but the mental side of his craft had been Lopez’ bugaboo.

“I kept my focus no matter the situation during this game,” Lopez said through a translator. “In the first half there was always something that made me lose focus. That was the key. I didn’t let anything bother me.”

Letting Lopez call it a day with an excellent start in hand Renteria opened the A’s seventh inning with right-hander Evan Marshall protecting a 2-1 lead, supplied by Jimenez’ 17th homer leading off the top of the inning against lefty Brett Anderson.

“Nice outing for him, we have really good relief pitchers,” Renteria explained.

But Marshall hung a 1-2 breaking ball to Ramon Laureano leading off, though, and the game was tied on the center fielder’s 18th homer.

“If anybody is [asking about pulling Lopez], that’s not the question to ask,” Renteria said. “The question to ask is how could we score more runs.”

Before the game, Renteria had voiced the overriding feelings about Lopez, the pitcher who was the Sox’ best last season with a 3.91 ERA.

”It’s frustrating for him. It’s frustrating for everybody,” he said of his first half.

“It involves the mental approach. Sometimes we get in our own way. For him, physically speaking I think he has it. You’ve got to go out there and compete and not worry about too much.”

On this day Lopez didn’t, and the results were there.

“The key was the focus. I was able to keep it on every pitch. I was able to throw every pitch with conviction.”

The A’s, in wild card contention won for the 10th time in 12 games. The Sox will try to regroup with four games against the Royals, who are below them in the standings.

“Any game like this is a tough one,” Renteria said. “The question is, how do we respond?”