Recap: Chicago WSox vs. NY Yankees
Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Mariano Rivera's final visit to Chicago didn't go as planned for the future Hall of Famer or the New York Yankees.
Alejandro De Aza stroked the winning two-run triple with two outs in the 12th inning to give the Chicago White Sox an improbable 6-5 win and a three-game sweep.
Rivera gave up the tying single to pinch-hitter Adam Dunn on an 0-2 pitch with two outs in the ninth, but Robinson Cano homered leading off the top of the 12th.
"We were down to the last strike twice the last out twice and for whatever reason we didn't get it done," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.
Adam Warren (1-2) had a chance to end the game, but Tyler Flowers' soft tapper bounced out of the pitcher's glove and resulted in an infield hit.
"It was a play he makes probably 99 out of 100 times. That's kind of how our road trip's been," Girardi said.
Alexei Ramirez singled to center and De Aza then clubbed a 1-0 offering to right-center to end it and give the White Sox their first sweep of the Yankees in back-to-back series of at least three games for the first time in 100 years.
Rivera received a standing ovation upon entering from the bullpen in the ninth inning and everything was going according to form for the closer until Gordon Beckham doubled to center with two outs. Dunn then hit a sharp liner into left to tie the contest.
"It's nice to end up on this side of it. It was a good team effort. You go against a guy like Mo and don't let up and grind it out," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said.
Alex Rodriguez, playing in his third game of the season, went 1-for-5 with a walk. The Major League Baseball Players Association officially appealed his 211-game suspension Wednesday. Rodriguez had a chance to give the Yankees the lead in the 11th inning, but with Brett Gardner at third, A-Rod bounced out to third base.
That was part of a 1-for-16 performance for the Yankees with men in scoring position.
The White Sox put a pair of runners on base in the bottom of the 11th against Warren, but Jordan Danks struck out to end the inning.
Cano started the 12th by lacing a 1-2 pitch from Dylan Axelrod (4-8) over the wall in right-center.
CC Sabathia, who is 18-4 in his career against the White Sox and 10-1 at U.S. Cellular Field, was in line for his 10th win of the season. That was until Rivera suffered his third blown save of the year.
The Yankees, who have lost four in a row, provided Sabathia with a 4-0 lead thanks to a two-run homer from Alfonso Soriano, RBI single from Vernon Wells and a solo blast from Eduardo Nunez.
Sabathia didn't allow a baserunner until Ramirez singled in the fourth inning.
Hector Santiago was charged with seven hits and four runs over 5 2/3 innings for the White Sox.
Beckham homered and knocked in two runs, and Paul Konerko added an RBI double for the White Sox, who came into this series with 10 consecutive defeats.
Gardner bunted for a hit to start the game and Soriano followed with a homer to left field. Wells singled in Soriano in the third.
Nunez homered for the first time this season, a shot to left, leading off the fourth.
Beckham homered tight to the line in left in the fifth before the Yankees wasted a bases-loaded opportunity in the sixth.
De Aza and Rios singled to put runners at the corners in the seventh before Konerko doubled to left field. Beckham then followed with a grounder to second base. Cano threw to third to get Konerko, but Rios scored. Sabathia then retired the final two batters of the inning.