OAKLAND, Calif. -- White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen continues to stand behind veteran left fielder Juan Pierre, who has struggled in the field and on the bases this season.

Pierre had a rough game Sunday but escaped heavy-duty scrutiny because the Sox beat the Oakland Athletics 4-3 to finish 6-3 on their road trip to Seattle, Anaheim and Oakland.

After leading off the game against A's ace Trevor Cahill with a single, the 33-year-old veteran was picked off by Trevor Cahill with Adam Dunn at-bat. Pierre, who has only six stolen bases while being caught stealing eight times, was leaning toward second and never even got back to the base.

Things got worse for Pierre. He hit into two double plays in one game for only the second time in his career, ending the third and fifth innings. In both innings, the Sox had two runners on. In the seventh, Pierre fouled off two squeeze-bunt attempts with Omar Vizquel on third, then grounded to first, unable to score Vizquel.

"One thing about Juan,'' Guillen said. "You're going to see the same one tomorrow. Going to go out and play the game, play the game right. When you play every day, you're going to go through tough times. He'll be there batting first again.''

Pierre is one of the team's hardest workers. Before the series in Oakland began on Friday, Pierre studied video of Oakland pitchers' moves for nearly an hour.

"I don't worry about him because he's a professional,'' Guillen said. "He will battle. That's not the first time he's been through it. He'll find a way."

Pierre is batting .242 with 13 runs scored and nine RBI.