OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - A day after being eliminated from the division race, the Chicago 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, Chicago's 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.
Juan Pierre stole his majors-leading 60th base, swiping home in the eighth to get Chicago within 3-2. He moved into 30th place on the all-time steals list with 519 and into second on Chicago's career single-season list.
Matt Thornton (4-4) pitched 1 2-3 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.
"It's a tough loss. I don't think we've experienced that this year," manager Bob Geren said. "We've held the lead and now, nothing."
Oakland's Chris Carter hit his first career home run.
White Sox slugger 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.
The White Sox won for only the third time in their past 15 games. Chicago snapped its longest September skid since dropping nine straight games in 1976.
"I think we played good as a group," Guillen said. "The only difference from today and the past is we got clutch hitting."
Guillen said after the game he would like to know where he stands with the White Sox beyond 2010. The skipper is signed through the next two seasons - and he wants to stay put in Chicago.
Oakland was an out away from its first sweep of the White Sox since Aug. 14-16, 2007. The White Sox avoided being swept in a third straight series for the first time since Aug. 19-28, 1991, by Detroit, Cleveland and Kansas City.
On a day when four of Oakland's top relievers weren't available, Brett Anderson went 6 2-3 innings. He allowed one run on six 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."
Ziegler hasn't converted a save in four chances this year. The A's had no lefties to pitch in relief.
Since Carter began 0 for 32 in his initial 11 big league games, he is 4 for 8 in his past three games. He homered leading off the third, then Jack Cust added an RBI single in the sixth.
Notes: Oakland's Jeff Larish snapped a career-worst 0-for-16 stretch with a double in the seventh. It was just his second hit in 30 at-bats over his past 12 games. ... Pierre's career-best year for steals was 65 in 2003 for Florida. ... Geren plans to play 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff every other day because he recently missed nearly two weeks with back spasms. ... The A's renewed their player development agreement with Triple-A Sacramento through the 2014 season. ... Chicago went 2-4 at the Coliseum this year and 4-5 overall against the A's in 2010. ... A's closer Andrew Bailey, the 2009 AL Rookie of the Year, is set to see Dr. James Andrews on Thursday for another opinion on his troublesome elbow. ... Eric Sogard made his first start at 2B for the A's.