CHICAGO – Walt Weiss, returning to the lineup after missing three starts because of the flu, singled in the tie-breaking run in the ninth inning Sunday as the Oakland Athletics beat the Chicago White Sox 3-2.

Terry Steinbach singled with one out in the ninth and pinch-runner Lance Blankenship went to third on a single by Stan Javier before Weiss greeted reliever Donn Pall with a run-scoring single to right.

Reliever Dennis Eckersley, 1-0, pitched the final one 2/3 innings to pick up the win. White Sox starter Eric King, 0-3, took the loss.

Poor base running hurt the White Sox.

Harold Baines, who had doubled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to nine games, walked to open the fourth inning and went to third on a single by Calderon, who took second on the throw.

Matt Merullo then singled to left, scoring Baines with the tying run, but Calderon was thrown out at the plate. After Billy Jo Robidoux walked, Davis bounced a pitch and Merullo tried to go to third but was thrown out by catcher Ron Hassey.

Chicago’s Steve Lyons was thrown out by right fielder Javier while trying to go to third on Dave Gallagher’s single in the fifth inning and Ozzie Guillen was picked off first by Rick Honeycutt in the eighth.

Gallagher’s single extended his hitting streak to 10 games.