CHICAGO -- Tanner Roark usually enjoys pitching in Chicago because it’s the closest Major League city to his hometown of Wilmington, Ill. However, there was little for the veteran right-hander to like about his first time facing the White Sox.

Roark pitched into the seventh inning in his second start with the A’s, but not well enough to avoid a 3-2 loss Saturday night at Guaranteed Rate Field.

• Box score

The A’s had won the previous four meetings between the teams this season and were 14-3 against the White Sox over the last three years.

The A’s trailed 3-0 heading into the ninth before two runs scored on an error by White Sox third baseman Ryan Goins on a grounder by Matt Chapman with two outs. Chapman advanced to second and Matt Olson was intentionally walked. Chicago closer Alex Colome then walked Mark Canha on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases, but struck out Khris Davis to end the game.

“These guys fight,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “We put ourselves in position to win the game. Just one more hit.”

Roark (7-8) allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits in 6 2/3 innings with zero walks and seven strikeouts. One of the runs scored on a long solo homer by White Sox rookie Eloy Jimenez, but the A’s defense contributed to the other two.

In the third, Leury Garcia stole second with two outs and then attempted to steal third. Catcher Chris Herrmann’s throw got past Chapman and rolled down the line, allowing Garcia to easily score.

Then in the seventh, with the A’s already trailing 2-0, Chicago’s Tim Anderson was on first with two outs and took off on a 3-2 pitch to Welington Castillo, who stroked a single to left field just to Chad Pinder’s right. Pinder fielded the ball cleanly about a step from the warning track, but Anderson never stopped and headed home. The relay throw skipped past Herrmann as Anderson slid in safely.

Roark was lifted at that point.

“I just felt like I got beat,” Roark said. “It was a pitchers' duel and [Reynaldo] Lopez came out on top.

“I felt I just made two bad pitches.”

One pitch, obviously, was the one Jimenez homered on. The other was the last pitch Roark threw to Castillo in the seventh.

The A’s had runners on base in every inning Lopez (7-9) pitched except one, but bounced into three double plays in the first six innings.

The best scoring chance for the A’s before the ninth came in the seventh. Stephen Piscotty walked with one out to chase Lopez after 106 pitches. Evan Marshall struck out the first batter he faced, Jurickson Profar, for the second out, but then walked Herrmann and Marcus Semien to load the bases.

Left-hander Aaron Bummer replaced Marshall and Pinder pinch-hit for Robbie Grossman. Pinder hit a drive to the right-center gap for a potential bases-clearing extra-base hit, but right fielder Jon Jay made a sliding catch to end the threat.

“That’s a great play,” Pinder said. “When I hit it, I thought it might drop, but that’s a great play in a big spot.”

Worth noting

A’s catcher Josh Phegley (left thumb contusion) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Las Vegas on Sunday.