OAKLAND -- Tony La Russa may need to find an alternative mode of transportation back to Chicago.

The White Sox skipper, who has been away from the team for nearly two weeks with a medical issue, found his team in a significantly better position in the standings than he left it when he rejoined the club on Sunday in Oakland to attend Dave Stewart's jersey retirement ceremony.

La Russa praised the run that the Sox have been on under acting manager Miguel Cairo, a string of success that has allowed the club to gain ground on the division-leading Guardians. And while he's been cleared to travel with the team -- but not to resume his duties as manager -- La Russa added in a half-joking, half-serious tone that if the White Sox lose his first game back, "I won't be on that plane."

After taking the first three games in Oakland, the White Sox could not complete a four-game sweep of the A's on Sunday, dropping a 10-3 decision to conclude their West Coast road trip. While it remains to be seen whether La Russa will follow through on his superstition, Chicago can't help but feel positive about the trip as a whole.

"It was outstanding," Cairo said. "It was awesome to see the guys battle every day. … We did everything the right way."

With their eyes on their first four-game sweep in Oakland since Sept. 24-27, 1987, the White Sox lined up behind right-hander Johnny Cueto, which has been a reliable formula for success for much of the season. Cueto, who joined the organization on a Minor League contract in early April, profiles as Chicago's fifth starter on the depth chart but has turned out to be one of its most dependable arms.

With Cueto on a roll and the bats hot, another win seemed well within reach. Instead, Cueto had one of his toughest outings of the season, surrendering a season-high-tying seven runs (five earned). 

It was only the third time this season that Cueto had allowed more than three earned runs. For the first time in his White Sox career, the veteran couldn't get out of the fifth inning, when the A's batted around and plated six runs.

"One bad inning, that's it," Cairo said of Cueto's outing. "I think that was the game. But he battled back, and he did his best. That's the way I'll put it."

The outburst was capped by a two-run homer from Oakland's Ramón Laureano, who was nearly retired on a popup that drifted toward the steps of the A's dugout. But third baseman Leury Garcia dropped the ball -- literally -- and the White Sox paid dearly for the miscue.

Cueto's velocity was down a tick over his outing, as his four-seam fastball averaged nearly one full mph slower than his season average. But Cueto has been known to fluctuate his velocity at times, and he later said Sunday was no different.

"That's how I pitch," Cueto said via team interpreter Billy Russo. "Sometimes when I want to throw a little bit more, I have it there. I think that was just the plan for today."

Added Cairo: "He knows how to pitch. He can pitch from 89-92 [mph]. … I think his breaking pitches were a little flat, and he left it over the plate."

Even though Cueto wasn't at his sharpest, it didn't help that the bats went cold. After logging two 20-plus-hit games in the last three days, the White Sox lineup managed only four knocks on Sunday. 

The road trip ended on a rather anticlimactic note, but the White Sox foray to the West Coast proved productive, as they went 5-2 and leapfrogged the Twins over the past week.

As the regular season draws to a close, Chicago [72-69) has 10 games remaining against its contending division rivals in Cleveland (73-65) and Minnesota (69-70). The White Sox sit 2 1/2 games out of first place in the AL Central, which is not an insurmountable deficit -- and they're hoping to bring the good vibes from the West Coast back home to Chicago.

"We won a series here, and we won the series in Seattle," Cueto said. "What can I say, we're going to try to keep doing what we've been doing, and try to keep our head up and play with a lot of energy."