Sox sweep Oakland, first since 1987

Rob Mackowiak went 2-for-3 with a run batted in and a run scored and Mark Buehrle tossed seven strong innings as the Chicago White Sox completed a three-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics with a 3-2 win at U.S. Cellular Field. Buehrle (6-2) allowed just one unearned run on six hits while striking out three and walking three. Scott Podsednik knocked in a run and scored a run and Jim Thome plated the other run for the White Sox, who have won five of their last six games. Eric Chavez went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the A`s, who have dropped their last five contests. Dan Haren (4-4) pitched well but still suffered the loss as he conceded three runs on six hits with six strikeouts and two walks in six innings of work. Oakland opened the scoring in the third when Mark Kotsay singled back up the middle and advanced to second on a passed ball by A.J. Pierzynski. Chavez then flared a single to left, scoring Kotsay. The White Sox pushed two runs across in the fifth to take the lead. Mackowiak doubled past first baseman Nick Swisher to lead off the inning, and Podsednik stroked a one-out double to left center, plating Mackowiak. With two outs, Thome put the Sox ahead when he lined a single to right, allowing Podsednik to score. Jermaine Dye worked a walk to start the sixth, and moved to second on a groundout by Pierzynski. After a Joe Crede groundout, Mackowiak delivered a two-out single to right, plating Dye for a 3-1 Chicago advantage. The bullpen took over for Chicago in the eighth and ran into trouble. Chavez bounced a one-out single back up the middle and Frank Thomas blooped a single to right, moving Chavez to third. The next batter, Swisher, lifted a fly ball to right. However, Dye dropped the ball, allowing Chavez to score and pinch- runner Antonio Perez to move to second, cutting the deficit to 3-2. The runners moved up on a Jay Payton groundout, leaving runners on second and third with two outs for Jason Kendall. The Sox brought on their closer, Bobby Jenks, and he ended the rally with a strikeout of Kendall. Jenks then worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earned his 13th save of the year. Game Notes Juan Uribe left the game in the second after he was hit in the head by pitch from Haren...Buehrle has not allowed an earned run in 21 consecutive innings...This is the first sweep of Oakland for the Sox since May of 1997...Oakland will stay on the road as it travels to Texas for a four-game series starting Thursday. Chicago opens a three-game set at Toronto starting Friday.