CHICAGO -- Like most of the Chicago White Sox, Frank Thomas is feeling really comfortable at home.
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| Frank Thomas homers twice and drives in five runs for the White Sox.(AP) |
Carlos Lee homered and had four RBI, and Jose Valentin and Joe Crede hit consecutive shots for the AL Central leaders.
Chicago has won 22 of its last 27 home games, and Thomas has six home runs in six games of this homestand. Of Thomas' 34 home runs, 26 have come at home.
"We seem to have things really rolling at home," Thomas said. "Just relaxing and just getting good pitches to hit -- I'm having one of those periods where I'm just getting good results out of my swing."
Texas has lost three in a row after winning a season-high eight straight.
Mark Buehrle (11-12) pitched six strong innings, allowing an unearned run and four hits. He is 9-2 over his last 14 starts.
"The offense has been exploding at home," Buehrle said. "Everybody is clicking -- it's not like we have one or two guys on the offense working."
Buehrle retired 10 straight between the second and fifth innings. Dan Wright pitched the final three innings for his first major league save.
Sandy Alomar Jr. led off the third with a single, Lee singled and Thomas homered for the third straight game for a 3-0 lead. The shot made Thomas 5-for-8 with four home runs lifetime against Ismael Valdes (7-8).
The White Sox broke open the game with a six-run fourth. Valentin and Crede homered before Roberto Alomar and Lee hit consecutive doubles off Valdes.
"It was amazing," said Valdes. "I think tonight they would've hit it if I had threw it in the dirt."
Thomas greeted reliever Jay Powell with his second homer of game, a two-run shot to center field that gave the White Sox an 8-0 lead.
Thomas and the White Sox have performed great at home, but have struggled on the road. The White Sox are 43-22 at home and 26-39 on the road. Thomas is hitting .289 with 26 homers and 53 RBI at home, compared to .241 with eight homers and 25 RBI on the road.
"Frank is performing like an MVP," White Sox manager Jerry Manuel said. "MVPs at this time of the year start to rise and show what they are all about, and that's what we want to see on the road -- that bat, that presence."
Crede and pinch-hitter Tony Graffanino singled off Erasmo Ramirez in the seventh and Lee followed with his 26th home run, tying his career high.
Hank Blalock homered off Wright in the eighth. It was his 22nd of the season.
Notes
- Buehrle struck out Rafael Palmeiro looking in the second inning, ending a 17-pitch at-bat.
- Thomas had his 24th career multihomer game and fourth this season. Thomas' five RBIs were his most since Sept. 11, 2000, against Detroit.
- Texas optioned RHP Juan Dominguez to Triple-A Oklahoma before the game and recalled RHP Rosman Garcia from Oklahoma.
- RF Marcus Thames made a diving catch on Valentin's ball in the seventh inning. Thames was injured on the play and left the game with a jammed right shoulder.
- Crede matched his career high with three hits. He was 3-for-4.
- Valentin has four home runs in his last four games.
- Alex Rodriguez had his 13-game hitting streak snapped.
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