CHICAGO (AP) – Nick Swisher hit an RBI double in the 11th inning and the Oakland Athletics beat the Chicago White Sox 9-8 Sunday, completing a three-game sweep of the team with the majors’ best record.

Swisher also homered, and Dan Johnson hit a solo homer and a two-run double for the A’s, who finished the season series against the White Sox with a 7-2 record and have won 13 of their last 16 games overall. They also moved one game over .500 mark for the first time since May 1, when they were 13-12.

Carl Everett and Paul Konerko homered for the White Sox, who took a 57-29 record into the All-Star break but were swept in a three-game series for the first time this season. Konerko set a new career high with five hits.

Luis Vizcaino (3-3) walked Eric Chavez to start the 11th and gave up an infield single to Johnson. Bobby Kielty moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt and Swisher followed with a double to right-center to score Chavez. Johnson was thrown out at that plate on Willie Harris’ relay throw.

Huston Street (3-1) took his fourth blown save of the season but shut out the White Sox in the 10th and 11th.

With Oakland leading 8-6, Street gave up a leadoff home run to Paul Konerko in the ninth. Carl Everett followed with a single and moved to second on Aaron Rowand’s sacrifice bunt. A.J. Pierzynski struck out looking, then was ejected after flipping his bat in front of home plate umpire Marty Foster.

After White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen had a lengthy discussion with Foster and crew chief Dana DeMuth, pinch-hitter Timo Perez followed with a RBI double to tie it.

Trailing 5-4 in the seventh, Oakland came back to take the lead with three runs against reliever Neal Cotts. The White Sox cut the lead to 7-6 in the seventh with a RBI single by Pierzynski off Justin Duchschrer.

Mark Kotsay homered and also robbed Tadahito Iguchi of an extra-base hit in the eighth with a leaping catch off the center-field wall.

Oakland led 4-2 in the fourth behind Dan Haren, but consecutive errors by Chavez and Johnson helped Chicago score a run. The White Sox took the lead off Haren in the fifth when Konerko singled and Everett followed with a homer to right, giving the White Sox a 5-4 lead.

Haren pitched 5 1-3 innings, allowing five runs – four earned – and 10 hits. He has not lost since May 26 against Tampa Bay.

White Sox starter Freddy Garcia allowed a run in each of the first four innings. He pitched six innings, allowing four runs on nine hits.

Johnson led off the third with his fourth homer of the season, giving the Athletics a 3-1 lead. Kotsay homered with two outs in the fourth, his second homer in two days and eighth of the season, to give Oakland a 4-2 lead.

Notes: White Sox 3B Joe Crede missed his second straight game with a sore back. … Since going 6-3 against the A’s in 2000, the White Sox are 11-33. … The A’s matched their season high with three errors.

AP-ES-07-10-05 1909EDT


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