Thomas Keeps White Sox Winning

Frank Thomas and Albert Belle finally gave Chicago White Sox fans what they had been waiting for.

Thomas and Belle hit successive home runs for the first time this season as the White Sox won their sixth consecutive, 10-5, at Chicago over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night.

“It’s going to happen from time to time, but you can’t expect that every night,” said Thomas, who homered twice and drove in five runs. “I’ve got a guy who is very dangerous behind me now. The more I get on, the more runs he’s going to drive in.”

Thomas and Belle hit successive homers in a five-run second inning.

“I’m very picky up there right now and I’m going to continue to be very picky up there,” said Thomas, who is leading the American League with a .378 average. “I know if I get on base a lot, I got [Belle] behind me who is going to drive me in.”

Thomas hit a three-run homer in the second and a solo shot in the seventh. He also had a sacrifice fly in the first.

Belle, acquired by the White Sox in the off-season, extended his hitting streak to 17 games.

Doug Drabek (3-3) got the victory even though he gave up five runs and nine hits in five innings. Loser Chris Hammond (1-3) went four innings, giving up six earned runs on eight hits.

Baltimore 2, Detroit 0--Scott Erickson became the major leagues’ second eight-game winner, and Rafael Palmeiro hit a two-run homer as the Orioles won the fifth consecutive game at Baltimore.

Erickson (8-1) gave up four hits and five walks before leaving with runners on the corners with two outs in the eighth. Jesse Orosco then picked off Damion Easley off first base, and Randy Myers worked the ninth for his 15th save, the second in two games.

Relying heavily on his sinkerball, Erickson recorded 18 ground-ball outs and was aided by four double plays. He struck out three.

Erickson had a no-hitter before Brian Hunter opened the sixth with an infield hit. Erickson, 6-0 with a 1.58 earned-run average in his last six starts, joined teammate Jimmy Key and Toronto’s Roger Clemens as the only eight-game winner in the majors.

The Orioles got all their runs in the first, when Eric Davis walked and Rafael Palmeiro followed with his seventh homer. It was the first time in 12 games and only the third time in 34 games that Detroit gave up a run in the first inning.

Milwaukee 5, Minnesota 4--Ben McDonald survived another shaky start and the Brewers ended a seven-game skid with the victory at Milwaukee.

McDonald (5-3) won despite failing to get out of the sixth inning for the fifth time in his last six starts. He gave up two home runs, both to unlikely long ball threats: Ron Coomer and Greg Myers.

After Coomer’s third homer of the season gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead, the Brewers scored four times in the second to go up 4-1. Mike Matheny hit a two-out, run-scoring double and Jeff Cirillo drew a bases-loaded walk before Dave Nilsson’s two-run single to right.

Matt Mieske’s RBI double in the fifth scored Marc Newfield from first base, making it 5-1 and chasing starter Scott Aldred (2-6), who gave up five runs, all earned.

Cleveland 1, Kansas City 0--The Indians won without hitting a home run for the first time this season and denied Kevin Appier his 100th career victory by beating the Royals at Cleveland.

Orel Hershiser (4-2) had his best outing of the season, giving up five hits in 7 1/3 innings and retiring eight in a row from the fourth through seventh. Appier (4-3) was even better, giving up only two hits in eight innings, but was plagued by a career-high eight walks as he failed for the third time to get his 100th victory.

Jim Thome stole home on a double steal with two outs in the fourth for the game’s only run.

Oakland 7, Texas 3--Dave Telgheder got his first victory since last September and Geronimo Berroa homered and drove in three runs as the Athletics ended a four-game losing streak with the victory at Arlington, Texas.

Telgheder (1-2) gave up six hits in 7 1/3 innings and had a career-high eight strikeouts to give the Athletics only their sixth victory from a starter. Two other members of Oakland’s rotation--Steve Karsay and Mike Mohler--are still winless.

Oakland took a 2-0 lead in the first off rookie Julio Santana (2-1). Damon Mashore led off with a single, moved to third on Jason Giambi’s double and scored on Mark McGwire’s groundout. Berroa drove in the second run of the inning with a double.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

Player: Rafael Palmeiro

Team: Baltimore

Performance: 3 for 4, 2 RBIs, homer, double

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Frank Thomas

Team: Chicago

Performance: 2 for 3, 5 RBIs, 2 homers

Team’s Result: Win

PITCHING

Player: Roger Clemens

Team: Toronto

Performance: 8 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 12 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Scott Erickson

Team: Baltimore

Performance: 7 2/3 innings, 4 hits, no runs, 5 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Kevin Appier

Team: Kansas City

Performance: 8 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, 7 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Loss

*

Player: Orel Hershiser

Team: Cleveland

Performance: 7 1/3 innings, 5 hits, no runs

Team’s Result: Win