White Sox rally to avoid another sweep

Posted September 22, 2010 11:00 pm

OAKLAND, Calif. - A day after being eliminated from the division race, the White Sox rallied to end their longest losing streak of the season.

"We don't give up, man," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "I'm proud of the way they play, pleased with the way they play."

Mark Teahen hit a go-ahead double with two outs in the ninth inning right after pinch hitter Mark Kotsay's tying single, lifting the White Sox over the Oakland Athletics 4-3 Wednesday and stopping their eight-game skid.

On Tuesday night, the Sox' loss clinched the AL Central for Minnesota.

"You feel funny, you feel jealous, you feel you should be there," Guillen said. "I'm disappointed. We should be disappointed."

The White Sox got to Oakland's short-handed bullpen, scoring twice against Brad Ziegler (3-5). The right-hander hadn't given up a run in his previous 12 appearances.

"I think we played good as a group," Guillen said. "The only difference from today and the (losing streak) is we got clutch hitting."

Juan Pierre stole his major-league-leading 60th base, swiping home in the eighth to get the Sox within 3-2.

Matt Thornton (4-4) pitched 12/3 innings for the win. Chris Sale recorded the final out for his third save in as many tries, striking out pinch hitter Steve Tolleson to end it with runners on first and second.

White Sox DH Manny Ramirez was a late scratch after he told Guillen during batting practice he didn't feel well. Dayan Viciedo, who replaced Ramirez in the lineup, hit an RBI single in the seventh.

"A little flu," Ramirez said afterward.

Oakland was an out away from its first sweep of the White Sox since Aug. 14-16, 2007.

On a day when four of Oakland's top relievers weren't available, A's starter Brett Anderson went 62/3 innings. He allowed 1 run on 6 hits, struck out one and walked one.

"Considering the stuff I had the results were pretty good," Anderson said. "It was a smoke-and-mirrors outing where I was trying to get outs anywhere I could."

Oakland's Chris Carter hit his first career home run. Since Carter began 0-for-32 in his first 11 big-league games, he is 4-for-8 in his past three. He homered leading off the third, then Jack Cust added an RBI single in the sixth.

Juan Pierre, middle, and the White Sox celebrate after edging the Athletics to stop their eight-game losing streak. Associated Press

White Sox game tracker

White Sox 4, Athletics 3

It's a steal: Juan Pierre's steal of home in the eighth inning moved him into 30th place on the all-time steals list with 519 and into second on the White Sox' single-season list at 60. Pierre's career-best year for steals was 65 in 2003 with the Florida Marlins. Rudy Law holds the team record with 77 in 1983.

September song: In ending their eight-game losing streak, the Sox won for only the third time in 15 games. They snapped their longest September skid since dropping nine straight in 1976.

No broom this time: The Sox avoided being swept in a third straight series for the first time since Aug. 19-28, 1991, by Detroit, Cleveland and Kansas City.