OAKLAND - Having watched Gio Gonzalez work up close and personal with the White Sox during Spring Training in 2007, Ozzie Guillen knew what to expect from the Athletics' energetic left-hander when he took the mound for Sunday's series finale at McAfee Coliseum.

"He's going to show us how good he is, go out there and pitch," the White Sox manager said of Gonzalez, whom the White Sox drafted in 2004, traded to Philadelphia as part of the Jim Thome deal in December 2005, re-acquired in the December 2006 deal that sent Freddy Garcia to Philadelphia and then traded again to Oakland this past offseason to acquire Nick Swisher.

"I like Gio," Guillen added. "He will be cocky. He believes in himself, and that's good enough to pitch in the big leagues."

Good enough on many days, but not Sunday against the White Sox.

Guillen's crew pummeled one of the organization's former top prospects over 3 1/3 innings, cruising to a 13-1 shellacking of Oakland. Of far greater importance than beating Gonzalez, though, was keeping pace with the Twins atop the American League Central and actually winning a series at McAfee Coliseum, which is the White Sox equivalent of putting a man on the moon.

For the second time since 2000, the White Sox (70-53) left Oakland with a series win, with the only other victory coming from April 9-11, 2007, and causing Paul Konerko to joke afterwards about the team receiving rings for the accomplishment. For the first time since Aug. 29-30, 2000, the South Siders won back-to-back games at the A's home.

"It's good for the ballclub to come here and win two of three, and really have the chance to win three," said Guillen, whose team scored its most runs in a single game at Oakland since pushing across 13 on May 20, 1994. "Every time we come here, we have crazy games, so this is great momentum going back to Chicago."

"We know how poorly the White Sox have done here," added catcher A.J. Pierzynski, who had one hit and scored one run, as the White Sox improved to 8-28 at McAfee since the start of 2001. "It's a huge step in the right direction, and it definitely gives us confidence going back home for the next week."

Carlos Quentin once again contributed to the victory with his Major League-leading 34th home run -- one of four long balls on Sunday for the White Sox -- a two-run shot coming during a three-run third inning against Gonzalez. Quentin added a two-run single in the fourth to chase Gonzalez from the game, and has now reached base 14 times in his four games since returning from a two-day break brought about by left forearm soreness due to getting hit by a pitch from Boston's Josh Beckett.

Jermaine Dye followed Quentin's blast with his 29th home run, marking the 11th time the White Sox have gone back-to-back this season. Juan Uribe's two-run shot in the second capped off a three-run rally to put the White Sox out in front early, and Alexei Ramirez's second career grand slam topped off the Chicago outburst with two outs in the seventh.

Gonzalez had trouble finding the plate from the start, throwing only 42 of his 88 pitches for strikes. When he hit the zone, the White Sox did not miss on his offerings.

"I'm sure he was a little pumped," Pierzynski said. "We all know Gio. He's a great guy and has a great arm, and has a chance to be really good.

"Today, he was behind in the count. I'm sure ... he was excited. It was his old team, we all knew him. We traded for him, drafted him, the whole deal. It was one of those days where he didn't have his stuff."

Along with the White Sox power supply, as the team improved to 38-14 this season when hitting at least two home runs, Javier Vazquez (10-10) stood as the difference in the afternoon's outcome. Staked to an 8-0 lead after four innings, Vazquez became the fourth Sox starter to reach double-digit victories this season, and he did so by not letting up with the big advantage.

Vazquez gave up one run on four hits over eight innings, with two of those hits and the one run coming in the eighth, breaking a 15-inning scoreless streak for the right-hander. Vazquez struck out eight and didn't issue a walk, winning for his third time in four decisions.

Sunday's effort was relatively comfortable but somewhat tricky in handling the big advantage.

"No doubt," Vazquez said. "When I get that many runs, all I think about is throw strikes and be aggressive. I started aggressive and finished aggressive."

Beating Oakland and a former White Sox farmhand held greater significance than simply halting this run of futility out West. With Minnesota completing a three-game sweep of Seattle at home, the two-team battle for the AL Central crown continues to rage.

With 39 games remaining, it has become a sprint to the finish for these talented squads.

"That's what it's all about," Pierzynski said. "It's going to come down to the end and be fun for the fans, fun for the reporters and fun for the players."

"To me, we are going to continue to play the way we are right now," Guillen added. "The enthusiasm is there. We are not looking at where we stand, and we just try to play the best we can every day. The funny and crazy thing is the White Sox are not supposed to be in it."