CHICAGO -- Nothing is easy for the Chicago White Sox this season, and their 8-7, 14-inning victory over the Oakland A's on Monday night to start a four-game series was no exception.

After blowing a four-run lead in a wacky ninth inning, the White Sox rebounded to beat the A's on a two-out, run-scoring single in the 14th by left-fielder Melky Cabrera (4-for-8). The game lasted 5 hours, 9 minutes and concluded early Tuesday morning at U.S. Cellular Field.

"You have to keep your focus during the whole game," Cabrera said through a team translator. "It doesn't matter if you're winning by four or five or whatever, you have to keep your focus the whole game. That ninth inning was crazy. I don't know how to explain it or what happened there, but it was crazy. But we won, and that's good for us.

Cabrera single came off Oakland right-hander Arnold Leon (0-2) and just barely scored catcher Geovany Soto from second to end it. Soto started the inning with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt.

Left-hander Dan Jennings (2-3), Chicago's seventh pitcher, earned the win after two scoreless innings of relief.

The Athletics' four-run ninth prevented White Sox left-hander John Danks from earning a win after a quality start. Danks allowed three homers, but all were solo shots. They were the only three hits and runs he allowed in seven innings. He struck out six and walked three.

"I didn't see a game lasting until midnight coming, but I'm glad we got the win," Danks said. "That's why we came here is to get a win. It doesn't matter how we got it. We got it, and hopefully we can keep it rolling (Tuesday)."

First baseman Jose Abreu went 3-for-6 with a home run and four RBIs to lead Chicago, breaking out of an 0-for-13 slump. The White Sox also got a home run and two RBIs from rookie right fielder Trayce Thompson, who sprained his left elbow in the ninth and came out of the game.

That was the first of multiple things to go wrong for Chicago that inning, which started with closer David Robertson on the mound in a non-save situation, leading 7-3.

The A's (61-83) tied it 7-7 on two hits, a bases-loaded walk, an error on a catcher's interference that wiped out a game-inning double play, a wild pitch on a strikeout and a run-scoring passed ball.

The meltdown started with a shallow fly ball to right field by Brett Lawrie that became a double when Thompson couldn't come up with the catch after a diving effort that injured him. The hit ended a streak of 26 consecutive batters retired by Robertson.

Things quickly worsened from that point for Robertson, who struck out third baseman Danny Valencia, only to see him run safely to first after a wild pitch. Robertson whiffed designated hitter Billy Butler for the inning's first out and then appeared to get a game-ending double play by Josh Reddick. Instead, catcher Tyler Flowers was called catcher's interference by plate umpire Joe West, loading the bases.

Robertson then walked pinch hitter Coco Crisp to make it 7-4 before striking out left fielder Jake Smolinski for the second out. A two-run single by center fielder Sam Fuld made it 7-6 and moved Crisp to third. Crisp then scored after a pitch skipped off the top of Flowers' mitt for a passed ball.

Fuld, representing the go-ahead run, stole third before Robertson ended the inning by getting shortstop Marcus Semien to line out to center.

"We took advantage of the opportunities to tie the game," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "It's a tough pitcher that you really have to put some good at-bats (against) and maybe get a little bit of luck to score four runs off of him, which we did. But every at-bat was pretty fierce, and we were able to tie it up but obviously not do enough offensively to score another run later."

Oakland's trio of homers off Danks were hit by Smolinski, Lawrie and Reddick.

Chicago (68-74) displayed its own firepower against Oakland ace Sonny Gray. The White Sox drove the right-hander from the game after just three-plus innings by tagging him with seven runs on eight hits and four walks, including two-run homers by Abreu and Thompson.

The seven runs allowed tied a career high for Gray, who was taken off the hook for the loss by Oakland's late rally to tie it.

"It's tough to have outings like this, but you have to get back out in five days and really compete," Gray said. "That was tough, but you keep going. I just didn't throw enough strikes tonight, and they made me pay for it with a couple big swings."

NOTES: White Sox manager Robin Ventura said there are no plans to shut down ace LHP Chris Sale to save wear and tear on his arm. Sale, who could make four more starts, has an outside chance to record 300 strikeouts this season. ... CF Billy Burns (right hamstring tightness) didn't play Monday, and he might not be able Tuesday, manager Bob Melvin said. Burns began testing his hamstring while running before the game Monday. ... Athletics C/1B Stephen Vogt (groin) did cardio work on an elliptical machine Monday, but he wasn't able to take swings in the batting cages. ... Melvin said RHP Edward Mujica (hamstring) would not participate in any baseball-related activities for a couple days and then will be re-evaluated. ... Athletics RHP Chris Bassitt (right shoulder soreness) was scheduled to throw 20 pitches off flat ground and 20 pitches off the bullpen mound prior to the game.