As long as Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has been around baseball, the game still sometimes confounds him.

Guillen watched Juan Uribe and Scott Podsednik each strike out three times against journeyman Aaron Small, who produced another strong outing for the Yankees’ patchwork pitching staff yesterday. Then he saw the same two players combine to beat Yankees closer Mariano Rivera.

Uribe tripled with one out in the 10th inning and then slid in under catcher Jorge Posada’s tag to score the deciding run on Podsednik’s grounder, giving the White Sox a 2-1 win over the Yankees.

“Uribe can’t hit a guy who throws junk,” Guillen said. “And then he hits a triple against the toughest pitcher in baseball.”

Go figure. Uribe hit a ball that sailed beyond center fielder Bernie Williams and was grateful. Speaking through an interpreter, he said all he was trying to do was make contact.

“After three strikeouts, all I want to do is get on base,” he said. “The pitching was so good. I knew when it got past Bernie, it’s a triple.”

The Yankees played the infield in and Podsednik bounced to second baseman Robinson Cano, who threw home. Posada made the tag high and plate umpire Bruce Froemming signaled safe when Uribe slid in under the catcher’s shin guard.

Posada stuck out his glove, trying to win the call from Froemming, Rivera pointed to the plate, and Yankees manager Joe Torre briefly argued.

“I wanted it to be out,” Rivera said. “When he caught the ball and tagged him above the waist, I think he might have been able to sneak in there.”

Torre said he couldn’t really see the play from the dugout.

“Cano did a good job getting to the ball,” the manager said. “I thought Jorge had him, but evidently the tag was high.”

Neal Cotts (4-0) got the win. Dustin Hermanson relieved with a runner on first and retired the last two batters for his 30th save in 31 opportunities. Center fielder Aaron Rowand ran down Cano’s fly ball on the warning track for the final out.

Rivera (5-3) worked two innings. The White Sox, with the best record in the majors, took two of three at Yankee Stadium – each game was a tight, one-run decision.

Small, who won his first three decisions after not starting a major league game since 1996, limited the White Sox to one run on four hits over seven innings. He struck out seven and retired the last 12 batters he faced in order.

“Aaron Small was just great today,” Torre said.

Chicago starter Freddy Garcia was just as good, allowing one unearned run and six hits over eight innings. He struck out five.

“Freddy was outstanding,” Guillen said. “That was one of the best I’ve ever seen him throw. That’s the Freddy we like to see.”

The Yankees nicked Garcia for a run in the first when Derek Jeter beat out an infield hit and took second on a throwing error by Uribe from shortstop. Jeter advanced to third on an infield out and scored on a single by Gary Sheffield.

Chicago tied it in the third when Pablo Ozuna beat out an infield single and scored on Carl Everett’s double. Everett got caught on Paul Konerko’s grounder to Jeter and Small struck out Rowand, ending the inning.

Both pitchers got into fourth-inning jams but pitched out of trouble.

In the White Sox fourth, Jermaine Dye opened with a single and Geoff Blum walked. The runners advanced on a sacrifice but were stranded when Small struck out Uribe and Podsednik.

In the bottom of the fourth, Alex Rodriguez and Hideki Matsui opened with singles. The runners advanced on an infield out, but Garcia struck out Williams and then retired John Flaherty on a pop up.

Tom Gordon relieved Small in the eighth and Rivera came on in the ninth for New York.

Garcia left after eight innings, relieved by Cotts.