Owens, Thome pound Twins
MINNEAPOLIS - Rookie Jerry Owens went 5-for-6 with three RBIs, and the rest of the White Sox lineup followed his lead in a 8-3 win over the Twins on Saturday afternoon.
Javier Vazquez used the support for an easy victory, giving up only one hit over the first five 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.
Vazquez (14-8) is finishing strong for Chicago, which extended his contract this spring by three years through 2010 for $34.5 million.
He won his third straight start, breezing behind an early lead that reached 8-0 in the sixth. He surrendered a two-run homer to Jason Kubel in the bottom half, but finished seven innings with only four hits and two walks allowed. He struck out 11, giving him 57 in his last six starts.
Vazquez surpassed the 200-strikeout mark for the season, the first time he's done that since 2003.
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 started, but he lasted only two innings and left trailing 3-0 after allowing five hits and one walk with just one strikeout. Danny Richar ripped a single up the middle that glanced off the back of Baker's hand in the second.
Boof Bonser entered to start the third, and he was worse. Recently moved to the bullpen after a string of ugly starts, Bonser completed three innings and allowed three straight baserunners to begin the sixth.
He gave up eight hits, five runs and two walks while striking out three.
Thome was Bonser's first batter. He hit a high fly to right that sneaked inside the foul pole and a few feet over the wall, moving him into a tie with Eddie Murray for 22nd place on baseball's all-time list.
Thome is sixth in home runs among active players. He has gone deep against the Twins more than any opponent, a total of 53 times in his 17-year career.
Thome moved up a notch on another career list, too, passing Jimmie Foxx for 18th place with his 1,453rd walk.