Such sweep sorrow

The White Sox are waiting for that hot streak.

That run of victories that would catapult them atop the American League Central. That defining stretch of the season.

The wait continues.

Facing their 11th opportunity to sweep a team in a three- or four-game series, the Sox let the Oakland Athletics off the hook, losing 3-2 on Sunday. Mark Ellis won it with a home run with two outs in the ninth off closer Bobby Jenks.

The Sox missed their chance to sweep a series in Oakland for the first time since 1997. They also had their four-game winning streak at the Coliseum snapped. It was their longest run since a five-game streak from Aug. 1, 1996, to Aug. 5, 1997.

The Sox failed to take advantage of the Detroit Tigers' loss and remained 2� games out of first place. And failing to take advantage of another chance to sweep -- they're 2-9 in such situations -- might be something they regret all winter.

''Obviously, if we get into a situation where we miss out by a game or two, we're going to look back and wish we had played better in certain stretches,'' pitcher John Danks said after getting the no-decision.

The Sox continued to make life difficult for themselves, wasting another dominant performance by Danks. They missed out on scoring chances and failed to make the big play in the key moment.

With the Sox leading 2-1 in the eighth, Rajai Davis doubled to left-center, and manager Ozzie Guillen summoned reliever Octavio Dotel. After Kurt Suzuki popped out for the second out, Scott Hairston lifted a ball to deep left field. Scott Podsednik was in position to making a difficult -- but by no means impossible -- catch near the wall.

Podsednik appeared to misjudge the distance between him and the wall, jumping short of it. The ball dropped out of his reach and ricocheted back in play, allowing Davis to score easily.

Guillen was asked if the ball was catchable and took the high road.

''I have to see the replay,'' Guillen said. ''It was too far away for me to see it.''

An inning later, in came Jenks (2-4) and out went a 1-0 offering to Ellis over the left-field wall. Enjoy the long plane ride home after the 3-3 West Coast road trip.

''The way the division has shaped up, even the team that wins the division, I mean the winner of this division might finish in the mid-80s in wins,'' Paul Konerko said. ''You have no choice but to say, 'We left some things out on the table there.' But I think we're in position.

''We have a tough part of the schedule coming up, but if we could get down to the last 15 or 20 games being in first place or right around it, that's what we're shooting for. We're hoping to stay close with the schedule we got, be within striking distance and then at some point we have to make a run, have that 7-2 winning streak over nine games, and then see where you're at. We have to trust that the schedule will give us enough time to catch up.''

The hard-luck hurler was Danks, who went 7� innings, allowing two runs and eight hits. But after the game, the lefty already was turning the page.

''We know we're one of the stronger-minded clubs, and we're going to go out there and try and win every game,'' Danks said. ''We're not going to let this bother us.''

Comment at suntimes.com.

- - -

THE RECAP

AT THE PLATE

The Sox wore throwback jerseys from 1929. After scoring two runs with eight hits in the loss, they might want to make sure those jerseys aren't worn again. Only Mark Kotsay had multiple hits. Jim Thome was forced out of the game with a sore left foot and likely won't play today.

ON THE MOUND

John Danks did everything he could to give the Sox a chance to win, pitching 7� innings and allowing two runs, but he was not involved in the decision. Octavio Dotel blew the save and then Bobby Jenks picked up the loss.

PIVOTAL POINT

With two outs, it looked as if Jenks would work his way out of the ninth. Mark Ellis had a different idea, ending the game with a walk-off solo homer. He also ended the Sox' chance to sweep the Athletics in the Coliseum for the first time since 1997.

- - -

BOXSCORE

SOX AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

Podsednik lf 5 1 1 1 0 1 .296

Beckham 3b 3 0 1 0 1 1 .306

Dye rf 3 0 1 0 1 0 .273

Thome dh 2 0 0 1 0 1 .250

a-Konerko ph-dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 .274

Rios cf 4 0 0 0 0 1 .259

Pierzynski c 4 0 1 0 0 1 .311

Al.Ramirez ss 4 0 1 0 0 1 .276

Kotsay 1b 3 1 2 0 0 0 .262

J.Nix 2b 3 0 1 0 0 1 .228

Totals 32 2 8 2 2 7

Oakland AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

Kennedy 3b 4 0 0 0 0 0 .287

R.Davis cf 3 1 2 0 1 0 .300

K.Suzuki c 4 0 0 0 0 0 .277

Hairston lf 4 0 2 1 0 0 .262

Garciaparra dh 4 1 2 0 0 1 .267

Crosby ss 4 0 1 0 0 1 .225

Everidge 1b 4 0 0 0 0 2 .236

M.Ellis 2b 3 1 2 2 0 0 .283

Cunningham rf 3 0 1 0 0 0 .151

Totals 33 3 10 3 1 4

SOX 000 002 000--2 8 0

Oakland 000 000 111--3 10 1

Two outs when winning run scored.

E--Cunningham (2). LOB--SOX 8, Oakland 6. 2B--Beckham (22), Pierzynski (16), Kotsay (6), R.Davis (12), Hairston (7), Crosby (8). 3B--Podsednik (4). HR--M.Ellis (6), off Jenks. RBIs--Podsednik (34), Thome (71), Hairston (21), M.Ellis 2 (42). SB--J.Nix (8), R.Davis (24). S--Kotsay, J.Nix. SF--Thome, M.Ellis.

Runners left in scoring position--SOX 6 (Thome, Rios, Podsednik 3, Pierzynski); Oakland 4 (Cunningham 2, Hairston, Garciaparra).

GIDP--J.Nix, K.Suzuki, Crosby.

DP--SOX 2 (J.Nix, Al.Ramirez, Kotsay), (Al.Ramirez, J.Nix, Kotsay); Oakland 1 (Crosby, M.Ellis, Everidge).

SOX IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

Danks 7.1 8 2 2 1 3 90 3.96

Dotel BS, 3-3 0.2 1 0 0 0 1 13 2.72

Jenks L, 2-4 0.2 1 1 1 0 0 5 3.89

Oakland IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

Cahill 6 6 2 2 2 2 98 4.97

J.Marshall 1 0 0 0 0 1 7 0.00

Wuertz 1 1 0 0 0 3 27 3.16

A.Bailey W, 5-3 1 1 0 0 0 1 22 2.05

Cahill pitched to 2 batters in the 7th.

Inherited runners-scored--Dotel 1-1, J.Marshall 2-0.

Umpires--Home, Bill Hohn; First, Paul Emmel; Second, Gary Darling; Third, Todd Tichenor. T--2:30. A--20,241.

HOW THEY SCORED

White Sox sixth Kotsay doubled. J.Nix sacrificed, Kotsay to third. Podsednik tripled, Kotsay scored. Beckham walked. Dye walked, Beckham to second. Thome hit a sacrifice fly, Podsednik scored, Beckham to third. Two runs. White Sox 2, Athletics 0.

Athletics seventh Garciaparra singled. Crosby doubled, Garciaparra to third. Everidge struck out. M.Ellis hit a sacrifice fly, Garciaparra scored, Crosby to third. One run. White Sox 2, Athletics 1.

Athletics eighth Kennedy grounded out. R.Davis doubled. Dotel pitching. K.Suzuki fouled out. Hairston doubled, R.Davis scored. One run. White Sox 2, Athletics 2.

Athletics ninth Jenks pitching. Crosby flied out. Everidge lined out. M.Ellis homered to left on a 1-0 count. One run. Athletics 3, White Sox 2

Color Photo: Ben Margot, AP / Scott Podsednik fails to catch a ball near the wall in the eighth inning. Rajai Davis scored on the play to knot the score at 2. ; Color Photo: Ben Margot, AP / Bobby Jenks leaves the field after giving up the game-winning home run to Mark Ellis with two outs in the ninth inning. ;