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Owens, Vazquez lead Sox

MINNEAPOLIS -- The White Sox are surging into the season's final week, wondering why they didn't start sooner.

Rookie Jerry Owens went 5-for-6 with 3 RBI, the rest of the White Sox lineup followed his lead, and Javier Vazquez used the support for an easy 8-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday.

"Where was all this in the summer?" manager Ozzie Guillen said. "We're playing good baseball. Unfortunately, it's a little too late for that."

Indeed, the White Sox (68-87) have only a fourth-place finish to shoot for now. They began the day with a half-game edge over the Kansas City Royals in the fight to avoid the AL Central cellar.

Vazquez (14-8) gave up only 1 hit over the first 5 innings. Jim Thome hit career home run No. 504, Darin Erstad hit one into the upper deck, and every White Sox starter reached base at least once. The White Sox had 16 hits, including 3 by Erstad.

"That's why you can't ever underestimate these guys and that lineup," Minnesota's Michael Cuddyer said.

Vazquez won his third straight start, breezing behind an early lead that reached 8-0 in the sixth. He surrendered a 2-run homer to Jason Kubel in the bottom half but finished 7 innings with only 4 hits and 2 walks allowed. He struck out 11, giving him 57 in his last 6 starts.

"He's been throwing like that for a little while, and unfortunately we couldn't win more games," Guillen said. "We've just not played good enough for him to win more games."

Vazquez surpassed the 200-strikeout mark for the season, the first time he's done that since 2003, and lowered his ERA to 3.79. The White Sox extended his contract by three years through 2010 for $34.5 million, a move that has helped him focus and apparently succeed.

"I've always said that I feel comfortable with one team, because you know where you got to be," Vazquez said. "I have a lot of confidence right now."

The White Sox smashed balls all over the place against a pair of right-handers auditioning for spots next year in Minnesota's up-in-the-air rotation.

Scott Baker (9-9) lasted only 2 innings and left trailing 3-0 after allowing 5 hits and 1 walk with just 1 strikeout. Danny Richar ripped a single up the middle that glanced off the back of Baker's hand in the second. He finished the inning and had full range of motion, but manager Ron Gardenhire said he experienced some numbness and was removed for precautionary reasons.

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