Ellis hits walkoff homer and Athletics avoid sweep by White Sox with 3-2 win

Ellis homer lifts A’s

OAKLAND, Calif. — Mark Ellis lined a home run just over the left-field wall with two outs in the ninth inning and the Oakland Athletics avoided a three-game sweep with a 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.

Ellis hit his third career game-winning homer and first since June 8 last year against the Angels off Bobby Jenks (2-4), who had previously posted five straight scoreless outings.

Scott Hairston hit a tying double with two outs in the eighth off former A’s closer Octavio Dotel and All-Star Andrew Bailey (5-3) pitched the ninth for the victory.

Ellis also had a sacrifice fly in the seventh for Oakland, which sported royal blue and white replica throwback uniforms for a turn-back-the-clock themed day reminiscent of the 1929 world champion Philadelphia A’s for the 80th anniversary year.

The A’s rallied after missing early chances when they grounded into inning-ending double plays in the first two innings.

Scott Podsednik broke up a scoreless game with an RBI triple in the sixth for the White Sox and Jim Thome had a sacrifice fly three batters later. Chicago looked poised for its first three-game sweep in Oakland in 12 years.

White Sox starter John Danks, who was trying for back-to-back victories for the first time since May 20 and 25, allowed a one-out double to Rajai Davis in the eighth and then gave way to Dotel. Kurt Suzuki fouled out before Hairston’s double.

A’s rookie Trevor Cahill avoided losing his fifth straight start and hung tough in this pitcher’s duel. He has received run support of two or fewer runs in 13 of his 25 starts and is 0-8 in those outings.

Oakland now has some momentum heading into a three-game series with the New York Yankees at home starting Monday night.

Former A’s fan favorite Mark Kotsay doubled among his two hits and scored a run for the White Sox. The White Sox had their four-game winning streak at the Coliseum snapped, its longest since a five-game run here from Aug. 1, 1996 to Aug. 5, 1997.

After Podsednik’s one-out triple, Cahill walked Gordon Beckham and Jermaine Dye to load the bases. Thome followed with a sacrifice fly.

Oakland manager Bob Geren sported a navy blue pinstripe suit, paisley tie and felt hat before the game — even wearing the spiffy outfit for the exchange of lineups just before first pitch.

Back in uniform, Geren was ejected in the ninth.

“I’m not wearing no suit,” White Sox skipper Ozzie Guillen said. “I love old-school games. Nice idea.”

Chicago general manager Kenny Williams sure was hoping to see Guillen all dressed up.

“I would have paid money,” Williams said. “We were all trying. I would have gone down and paid him myself.”

Even the fans got into it.

“The hat has to go, Bob,” one woman yelled at Geren. “Connie Mack wore a straw hat.”

NOTES: Davis extended his career-best hitting streak to 11 games with a sixth-inning single. He also stole his 24th base. … Slumping White Sox OF Carlos Quentin — 1 for 15 over his three previous games — had the day off. With the recent addition of Alex Rios, Guillen has plenty of OFs to choose from. “It’s a headache. It’s a good one,” the skipper said. … The A’s lead the season series 4-3 with two more meetings next month in Chicago. … Public address announcer Dick Callahan worked from the field level. The Coliseum became Shibe Park for a day and old cars came around the warning track before the game.