Swisher’s Hit Helps A’s Sweep White Sox

Nick Swisher hit a run-scoring double in the 11th inning, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Chicago White Sox, 9-8, Sunday at Chicago, 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 for the first time since May 1, when they were 13-12.

The A’s were 15 games under .500 on May 29.

“We had such a slow start in May. We get above .500 going into the All-Star break,” Johnson said. “Taking this momentum going into the second half, we have our division coming up. We need some momentum going into those series.”

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 career high with five hits.

Baltimore 4, Boston 1 -- Rafael Palmeiro and Jay Gibbons hit solo home runs to back a strong pitching performance by Rodrigo Lopez at Baltimore. Palmeiro’s homer against knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (8-7) was his third in three games. Palmeiro’s one-for-three afternoon left him two hits short of becoming the fourth player in baseball history to have 3,000 hits and 500 home runs.

New York 9, Cleveland 4 -- Jason Giambi hit a two-run homer, and Ruben Sierra drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single at New York to lift the Yankees to their seventh win in eight games.

The Yankees improved to a season-high six games over .500 for the third time behind Giambi’s 10th homer of the season and fifth in six games, Gary Sheffield’s late three-run homer and Cleveland starter Jake Westbrook’s wildness.

Texas 9, Toronto 8 -- Mark Teixeira hit his league-leading 25th homer, and Mark DeRosa had a two-run shot in a four-run eighth inning as the Rangers completed a three-game sweep of the Blue Jays at Arlington, Texas.

Minnesota 3, Kansas City 2 -- Nick Punto scored on Mark Teahen’s fielding error in the 12th inning, and the Twins overcame Mike Sweeney’s two home runs to win at Kansas City, Mo.

Detroit 9, Tampa Bay 4 -- Magglio Ordonez drove in three runs, and Dmitri Young hit a two-run homer to lead the Tigers at St. Petersburg, Fla.