Chicago, IL -- (Sports Network) - A.J. Pierzynski doubled home Alexei Ramirez in the 13th inning to finish off Chicago's grueling 4-3 victory over Oakland to split the brief two-game set.

The victory was the sixth in eight games for the White Sox, who moved to 6 1/2 games behind the AL Central-leading Tigers despite going 1-for-16 with runners in scoring position and leaving 16 men on base.

Scott Podsednik went 4-for-7 with a run scored, an RBI and a steal, while Ramirez drove in a pair in the win, which was credited to Octavio Dotel (3-3) for his three scoreless innings in relief.

Ryan Sweeney and Scott Hairston each had two hits and an RBI for the Athletics, who had won three straight.

Neither starter factored in the decision. Chicago's Freddy Garcia lasted six frames, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks, striking out five. His counterpart, Trevor Cahill, was touched for three runs on five hits and a pair of walks in just three innings of work.

"We had a stocked bullpen with [Thursday] off," A's manager Bob Geren said in regards to throwing Cahill only three innings.

After both teams wasted a leadoff single in the 12th, Edgar Gonzalez (0-2) gave up a one-out base hit to Ramirez in the 13th. Pierzynski answered the call with a near homer to center, enough to bring the speedy Ramirez around from first for the game-winner.

With runners on the corners and one out in the first, Hairston singled up the middle to bring in the game's first run.

Kurt Suzuki grounded into an inning-ending double play following the RBI, and Podsednik scored on a Ramirez groundout in the bottom half to tie it.

Podsednik's ground-rule double brought in a run in the second, and Adam Kennedy's throwing error on a ball hit by Ramirez plated another run for a 3-1 game.

Sweeney's two-out double in the third halved Oakland's deficit, bringing in Cliff Pennington, who walked to lead off the inning.

Garcia was in line for the win before the bullpen gave up a run in the eighth.

"Since he's been here he's always given us a chance to win the game," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said of Garcia.

Tony Pena came in with two outs and the bases empty and was greeted by a Hairston double to the left field wall. Suzuki then stepped in and hit a come- backer up the middle to bring in the tying run.

Oakland stranded runners on the corners in the 10th, and Jermaine Dye grounded into a fielder's choice to leave the bases full of Sox in the 11th.

Game Notes

Cahill is unbeaten in his last five outings...Garcia was coming off his first win of the season in his previous outing...Oakland won the season series, 5-4.