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End it like Beckham! Walk-off star for Mom, Pop

Third baseman comes up clutch on both Mother's Day and Father's Day this year

CHICAGO -- Gordon Beckham's connected for a walk-off single on Mother's Day this year. And on Father's Day, he added another walk-off winner, this one a home run in the 11th inning for a 3-2 win over the Rangers.

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But it almost didn't happen after he let a double go over his head in the top of the inning. Then, Beckham thought, it might have just cost the White Sox a win on Sunday afternoon.

The third baseman had come in for the start of the 10th inning to play defense, and he watched as the ball went over his head without attempting to stop it. But he made up for it in a big way.

"Let's just say it lit a fire under me, apparently, because I was pretty upset about that," he said.

Beckham started a double play with the bases loaded to end the inning and on the first pitch he saw of the entire game, he sent the ball beyond the left-field wall for his first career walk-off home run. And it couldn't have come at a better time, as the home run was just his second hit since June 5 to raise his average to .220.

Video: TEX@CWS: White Sox turn two to escape jam in 11th

"I feel like I haven't been doing that much lately, so that was a big pick-me-up for me, and it was a great win," Beckham said. "You never know when you're going to be called, so you just have to be loose enough to not be worried about it and into it enough to know that you can come in and contribute."

Beckham hasn't been a regular starter this season and has been called on to play third base, shortstop and second base.

Considered to be the White Sox top prospect when he was drafted No. 8 in the 2008 MLB Draft, Beckham is no longer trying to live up to his hype, his manager Robin Ventura said.

Video: Must C Clutch: Beckham's Father's Day walk-off homer

The two have talked this season, and on Sunday, Beckham began to reap the benefits of his approach. His team did too, taking back-to-back wins after an eight-game losing streak.

"He's a winning type player and comes out and shows you that," Ventura said. "This is his role. He's accepted it, good teammate, and he's a good winning player. You get him in there, and he does stuff to help you win."

Greg Garno is an associate reporter for MLB.com.
Read More: Chicago White Sox, Gordon Beckham