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Ramirez plays hero as White Sox edge A's in 10

Apr 13, 2011 - 6:06 AM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Alexi Ramirez hit a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Chicago White Sox a 6-5 victory over the Oakland Athletics in game two of a three-game set.

Ramirez also clubbed a three-run shot in the second inning for Chicago, which has won three of four. Ramirez finished 2-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored in the win.

Chris Sale (2-0) got the win for allowing only one hit in two innings of work out of the Chicago bullpen. Starter Edwin Jackson allowed three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.

"I try not to worry about my role or the decision," Sale said. "I just try to get outs when ever I am handed the ball."

Kevin Kouzmanoff hit a two-run home run in the sixth for the A's, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Bobby Cramer (0-1) took the loss for allowing Ramirez's 10th-inning homer.

Oakland starter Trevor Cahill, who was making his first start since signing a new five-year contract, was charged for four runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings.

"When (my teammates) go out there and do their part it makes it harder to swallow that I didn't do mine," Cahill said.

Both games of this series have come down to a late-inning homers, as Kurt Suzuki hit a solo homer in the 10th-inning on Monday to give the A's a 2-1 victory.

The A's got on the board first in the top of the second. Ryan Sweeney walked to open the frame, and Mark Ellis roped an RBI double to center.

Alex Rios and A.J Pierzynski both hit singles to start the home half of the second, and Ramirez hit his second homer of the season, over the left field wall, to give the White Sox the 3-1 lead.

After leading the bases with two outs later in the frame, Paul Konerko put the White Sox up 4-1 when he scored Juan Pierre on a fielder's choice.

Hideki Matsui, who finished 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI, got Oakland within two when he scored Daric Barton on a grounder to first in the top of the third.

Matsui came up clutch again in the fifth when he hit a two-out single to left that scored Coco Crisp to get the A's within 4-3, and Kouzmanoff hit his two-run shot in the top of the sixth off the newly inserted Tony Pena to give the A's a 5-4 lead.

Chicago then evened the game with a Juan Pierre single that plated Ramirez in the bottom of the sixth. Ramirez worked a leadoff work and moved over to second on a Mark Teahen grounder to first.

Sale entered for the White Sox in the ninth, and after allowing a Matsui single, sat down Suzuki and Conor Jackson to get out of the frame.

Cramer relieved Jerry Blevins to begin the 10th, and after striking out Rios looking, he fooled Pierzynski into a grounder before serving up Ramirez's game-ending shot.

Game Notes

Barton finished 4-for-5 with a double and run scored for Oakland...The A's finished 1-for-16 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11...The rubber match of the series will see Brett Anderson take the hill for Oakland opposite Chicago hurler John Danks.