Rundown lowdown: Pierzynski does whatever it takes to get Sox a win

The last time catcher A.J. Pierzynski and umpire Doug Eddings were lumped together, the White Sox went on to win the World Series.

Is history going to repeat itself?

Only time will tell, but the duo was reunited Sunday at U.S. Cellular Field, and once again there were promising ramifications for Pierzynski and the Sox.

"It's just a funny coincidence, I guess," Pierzynski said after his heads-up play on the basepaths lifted the White Sox to a 6-5 victory over the Rays in 10 innings. "(Eddings) and I will be linked forever because of that one play, and now there are two plays."

In Game 2 of the 2005 American League championship series at the Cell, the Sox and the Los Angeles Angels were tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning when Pierzynski appeared to strike out.

But Eddings, who was the home-plate umpire during the game, ruled that Angels catcher Josh Paul trapped the third strike, and Pierzynski was safe after hustling to first base during the confusion.

Pinch runner Pablo Ozuna proceeded to steal second base and score on Joe Crede's hit to end the game.

Sunday's game wasn't nearly as important, but the White Sox might look back on the improbable win over upstart Tampa Bay at some point in late October and put an exclamation point next to the game.

"It was a big one," said Paul Konerko, who sent the game into extra innings with a pinch-hit RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning. "We need to get some wins. Minnesota's been playing good ball, it doesn't seem like they lose very much, so you want to get off the homestand with a win.

"All of these wins at this time of the year seem to really get magnified, so hopefully that can kind of spur us on."

Thanks to Pierzynski, Konerko and Alexei Ramirez, who ended the game with a run-scoring single in the 10th inning, the Sox are back in first place in the AL Central by a half-game after the Twins blew a 3-0 lead and lost 5-3 to the Angels on Sunday.

Pierzynski led off the 10th with a single against Rays reliever Jason Hammel. Carlos Quentin followed with a deep drive to center field that was caught by B.J. Upton.

But after making the catch Upton took his time getting the ball back to the infield, allowing Pierzynski to tag and advance to second base.

"B.J., I think what he said was the ball just drifted on him," said Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon, who has disciplined Upton before for his lack of hustle. "We'll just have to talk to him about that. I don't know that he exactly had in mind that (Pierzynski) might tag up on that."

The Sox' next hitter, Jermaine Dye, grounded to shortstop Jason Bartlett, and Pierzynski inexplicably broke for third base.

"It was bad baserunning on my part," Pierzynski said. "I shouldn't have gone. Horrible baserunning, but I was just looking for somebody to get close enough, and luckily he did."

"He" was Rays third baseman Willy Aybar, who made contact with Pierzynski during the ensuing rundown. Pierzynski made initial contact, but Eddings awarded him third base because Aybar didn't have the ball at the time.

"What Doug ruled at second base was, even though A.J. did kind of stick his arm out to make contact, Aybar was still in his way, so A.J., if he would have turned, he wouldn't have been able to continue on to third," said umpire Ted Barrett, who was tabbed to speak to a pool reporter after the game.

"So after making the throw, Aybar is no longer in the act of fielding and he can't obstruct the runner, which is what Doug ruled happened."

After Hammel intentionally walked Jim Thome to load the bases, Ramirez lined a single to right field to score Pierzynski and end the game.

Eddings' ruling stunned Tampa Bay, but White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said the call was correct. Guillen also praised Pierzynski for using his head.

"He grew up in the Minnesota Twins organization," Guillen said. "This kid shows up to win every day. He's a smart player. He knows how to win. When A.J.'s out there you've got to beat him, because he's not going to lay down and get beat."

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