Crede's walk-off single gives Yanks' Chamberlain first MLB loss

CHICAGO -- Joe Crede's cool approach helped the Chicago White Sox end a long night with a victory and hand New York Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain his first major league defeat.

Crede lined an RBI single to center to score Carlos Quentin in the bottom of the ninth as Chicago beat New York 7-6 and avoided a three-game sweep.

"I think the biggest thing is to be able to control your emotions out there. The crowd is getting into it, especially when there is a guy on base in scoring position, and you have a chance for the base hit to win it," Crede said after his hit set off a wild celebration at U.S. Cellular Field.

"You just go up there and try not to do too much and you know I've faced Chamberlain only twice so far, once being yesterday, and you kind of go through in the back of your head what kind of pitches he has and what they do," Crede added. "You try to figure out what you need to do to try to go out there and just get a base hit."

And Crede, who's earned a reputation for getting clutch hits during his career, got a 1-2 pitch from the hard-throwing 22-year-old right-hander and delivered.

Chamberlain had given up just two earned runs in 32 innings over 26 regular-season appearances since being called up last year. He gave up one earned run in 19 outings in 2007.

"I'm not perfect every night," said Chamberlain, who was the subject of much attention this week when team co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner said he should be starting instead of relieving. "I give up hits and that's the way it's going to be. I let my team down."

Quentin doubled with one out off Chamberlain (1-1) and Crede lined a single to left-center to score him.

"He'll be fine. He'll bounce back. He's given up a run before in his life," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Chamberlain.

Crede, who's made a strong comeback after back surgery last season, has already hit two grand slams this season. He's the guy the White Sox like to see when they need a big hit.

"We like our chances with Joe up. He's done it all year," White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "He's done it his whole career. He was the right guy in the right spot."

Bobby Jenks (1-0) got pinch-hitter Jorge Posada to ground into an inning-ending double play with two runners on in the top of the ninth to get the win in a game twice delayed by rain.

Trailing 6-3, the Yankees tied it when Melky Cabrera hit a two-out, two-run homer off Gavin Floyd in the sixth, and Morgan Ensberg delivered a two-out RBI single off Scott Linebrink in the seventh.

Ensberg started a third straight game in place of injured Yankees star Alex Rodriguez, who rejoined the team Thursday but again didn't play because of a strained right quadriceps. Rodriguez had been in Miami where his wife gave birth to their second child.

Floyd worked before and after a 51-minute rain delay in the third inning, allowing five hits and five runs in six innings.

Yankees starter Phil Hughes is still looking for his first win after five starts. New York took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third before the delay but decided not to bring back Hughes, their promising 21-year-old right-hander. Hughes allowed just one hit in his brief two-inning stint while throwing 23 pitches.

The White Sox scored five in the fourth off reliever Ross Ohlendorf. Orlando Cabrera reached on an infield single, Jim Thome walked, Paul Konerko had an RBI single, Jermaine Dye delivered a run-scoring single that skipped past Ensberg at third and Pierzynski added an RBI double over Bobby Abreu's head in right.

Quentin then grounded to Ensberg, whose throw to the plate couldn't get the sliding Dye as Chicago went up 4-3. Alexei Ramirez hit a ball down the right-field line that Abreu couldn't reach and the RBI double made it 5-3.

Facing LaTroy Hawkins in the fifth, Thome hit his 513th homer and moved into sole possession of 19th place on the career list, breaking a tie with Ernie Banks and Eddie Mathews. It gave Chicago a 6-3 lead.

Floyd had struggled with his control in the third, giving up a hit to Jason Giambi -- who was batting .135 -- and walking Cabrera and Johnny Damon to load the bases. Giambi made a great slide around Pierzynski beating a strong throw from Dye, who caught Derek Jeter's line drive in right field.

Abreu, who had a go-ahead grand slam in Tuesday night's series opener, then doubled off the top of the left-field fence to drive in two, giving him 1,000 career RBIs.

In the sixth, Floyd gave up a two-out double to Giambi before Cabrera hit his fourth homer to cut Chicago's lead to 6-5.

Game notes
Yankees reliever Kyle Farnsworth, who pitched one inning, said he felt something funny in his arm. He will be evaluated Friday. ... The start of the game was delayed 34 minutes by rain. ... New York RHP Brian Bruney had his right foot in a boot Thursday, two days after twisting it covering first base. The Yankees are considering placing him on the DL but will wait until doctors in New York review the results of an MRI before making a decision. ... Dye left the game after six innings with a strained left groin and won't play Friday.