Sox, before signing with the Pirates as a free agent on Feb. 8,

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Its been 40 days since Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Francisco Liriano won a game. Hell try to end that drought Sunday afternoon against the Oakland As and impressive rookie pitcher Daniel Mengden.Liriano had ERAs of 3.38 or lower in each of his past three seasons with Pittsburg and went a combined 35-25. This year, hes 4-8 with a 5.33 ERA, more than a full run higher than his career mark of 4.05.A mysterious lack of command has been a key to Liarianos struggles. In his previous start, he walked five and lasted only 4 1/3 innings in a 5-4 loss to the Dodgers on Monday. He gave up four hits and five runs (four earned).Over his past six starts, Liriano is 0-5 with a 7.12 ERA with 24 walks in 30 1/3 innings. Hes allowed five home runs and 36 hits during that stretch. He hasnt won a game since May 24 against Arizona.Ive been here before, Liriano said after his loss to the Dodgers. Ive just got to stay positive and keep working.Liriano went 6-12 with a 5.34 ERA in 2012, pitching for the Twins and White Sox, before signing with the Pirates as a free agent on Feb. 8, 2013. In his first season with Pittsburgh, he went 16-8 with a 3.02 ERA. He walked 63 and struck out 163 in 161 innings.I would never have called him a pinpoint pitcher his whole career, Pirates catcher Chris Stewart said Saturday before the Pirates 4-2, 10-inning victory. I think this year is a little more out of the zone with certain things, falling behind a lot of hitters and putting guys on base, and it seems like guys are getting big hits against him when theyre on base.Its just a matter of him going out, trusting his stuff, attacking the strike zone, establishing the fastball command early, and that way hell get the chases on the other stuff.Mengden is 1/3 in four starts, but he has a 2.81 ERA and is coming off his first career major league victory. He allowed two hits and four runs over a career-high 7 2/3 innings in an 8-3 victory Monday against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.Mengden started the season with Double-A Midland, was promoted to Triple-A Nashville then was called up to the As on June 11. He has 26 strikeouts and nine walks over 25 2/3 innings. With each major league start, his confidence has grown.Every time you step on the rubber and get out there you gain experience and confidence and trust in yourself, as well, said Mengden, who will try to prevent the Pirates from sweeping the three-game series. Getting used to the atmosphere, the type of hitters youre facing. The more and more you do it, the easier it gets, and I guess the more confidence youll get. And Ive been throwing well, so that always helps with the confidence and trusting my stuff. Its a lot of fun.Mengden scouted the Pirates hitters on Monday in the series opener and again on Tuesday. He knows what to expect when he takes the mound in the series finale.They have a lot of balance to their whole lineup, Mengden said. Speed, power. Theyre a good team. ... Its always nice seeing a few guys face a team before you face them. Cheap Air Max Outlet . Oyama had six birdies and two bogeys at Kintetsu Kashikojima in the event also sanctioned by the Japan LPGA Tour. "I have been having this neck ache thats been affecting my golf recently," Oyama said. Nike Air Max Canada . Denis Coderre, the former federal MP who was elected mayor on Nov. 3, has drawn the ire of some Montreal Canadiens. During last nights game he tweeted: "Hello? Can we get a one-way ticket to (minor-league) Hamilton for David Desharnais please. http://www.airmaxcanada.com/ .J. -- Josh Cribbs was in the Pro Bowl in February and out of a job six months later. Nike Air Max Canada Sale . 10 Texas Rangers jersey for one last time. Young formally announced his retirement Friday after returning to Rangers Ballpark, his baseball home for all but the last of his 13 major league seasons. Cheap Air Max Sale . -- Vincent Lecavalier got everything but the desired result in his return to Tampa Bay. CHICAGO -- Battered in back-to-back games, the Phillies came out swinging this time.Tommy Joseph and Cesar Hernandez homered to back Jerad Eickhoff, and struggling Philadelphia beat the Chicago White Sox 5-3 on Wednesday night.Philadelphia showed some spark at the plate and on the mound after getting outscored a combined 18-1 over the previous two games against St. Louis and Chicago. The Phillies came away with the win after dropping five of seven and salvaged a two-game split in their first trip to Chicagos South Side since 2004.These guys are grinding, Eickhoff said. Theyre pushing themselves each and every night. For them to put some runs up there, it was a great feeling. I was just trying to keep us in the game and keep us getting in the dugout in any way, shape or form.Joseph and Hernandez both had two hits and went deep against James Shields (5-16). Aaron Altherr added two RBI singles.Eickhoff (9-12) did his part, allowing two runs and four hits over six innings.Jeanmar Gomez worked the ninth for his 34th save in 38 chances. He gave up an RBI single to Avisail Garcia before Dioner Navarro grounded out with runners on first and third to end the game.The White Sox announced hours before the game that their ballpark is getting a new name. U.S. Cellular Field will be called Guaranteed Rate Field starting in November under a 13-year deal with the mortgage company.But while a major change is coming, things basically remained the same for a team with a losing record this year and one playoff appearance since winning the 2005 World Series.Shields set a career high with his 16th loss.The veteran right-hander gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked none.The home runs by Hernandez leading off the third and Joseph in the sixth brought Shields total to 31 this season and 22 since the White Sox acquired him from San Diego on June 4.Honestly, I tthink the only pitch I made a mistake on was that last one, the home run in the sixth inning, he said.dddddddddddd The ball kind of slipped out of my hand a little bit and I left it over the plate. Other than that, I felt really good with my location tonight. I was hitting my spots consistently. They were getting hits here and there, but thats part of it.Shields is 0-4 with a 13.95 ERA in five starts this month after posting a 1.78 ERA over five outings in July.Navarro hit a two-run homer in the sixth. But that was all the scoring against Eickhoff, who improved to 3-0 in his past five starts.THOMPSON STAYSPhillies manager Pete Mackanin said its likely struggling rookie RHP Jake Thompson will stay in the rotation. He has a 9.78 ERA after four starts.I think what hes doing now is hes trying to make perfect pitches and trying too hard, Mackanin said.SURGINGChicagos Jose Abreu is batting .367 this month, and Adam Eaton is 16 for 45 in his past 11 games. Both had a hit in this game.For Philadelphia, Hernandez is 14 of 33 over his past nine games. And Joseph has three homers in his past nine games.TRAINERS ROOMPhillies: INF Andres Blanco (broken finger) is eyeing a Sept. 1 return.White Sox: 2B Brett Lawrie had an MRI on his left knee and hip, though manager Robin Ventura did not have the results. Lawrie initially was placed on the DL because of a hamstring issue but returned from his rehab assignment because of a setback.UP NEXTPhillies: The Phillies open a three-game series at the Mets on Friday, with LHP Adam Morgan (1-7, 6.21 ERA) starting for Philadelphia and RHP Bartolo Colon (11-7, 3.36) for New York.White Sox: RHP Anthony Ranaudo (1-1, 9.42) makes his third start for the White Sox as Chicago opens a four-game series against the Seattle Mariners. ' ' '