White Sox Rough Up Wells, Yankees

Roberto Alomar and Frank Thomas put the latest “Big Hurt” on the New York Yankees.

Alomar and Thomas homered in Chicago’s seven-run fourth inning as the White Sox routed David Wells and the Yankees, 11-2, Wednesday night at New York.

“We’re trying to win,” Thomas said. “Kansas City is right there with us, so our work is cut out for us.”

Alomar drove in four runs with a two-run homer that capped the fourth-inning outburst and a two-run double in the sixth that chased Wells, who was charged with a season-high 10 runs.

Bartolo Colon struck out a season-high 10, and the American League Central-leading White Sox got 15 hits in winning for the eighth time in nine games.

“It was kind of what we’ve been looking for all along,” Manager Jerry Manuel said. “He came in on a good stage following [Esteban] Loaiza’s outing and pitched tremendously right from the first pitch.”

The Yankees’ AL East lead over Boston, which was 7 1/2 games last Thursday, was cut to four. After today’s series finale, New York visits Fenway Park for a three-game series.

Thomas, who went three for five, started the uprising in the fourth with a solo shot into the first row of seats in left field, quite different from Tuesday, when his grand slam hit high off the foul pole in a 13-2 win.

Chicago’s 24 runs the last two nights are the most by a visiting team at Yankee Stadium since the White Sox won 10-9 and 17-4 on June 17-18, 2000.

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Oakland 6, Baltimore 2 -- Miguel Tejada hit two homers, Barry Zito pitched eight innings of four-hit ball at Oakland and the Athletics won their fifth game in a row to take over first place in the AL West.

Zito (11-11) retired 19 of his first 21 batters, taking a two-hitter into the eighth. With his nasty curveball back in top form, he struck out three and walked two in his third victory in four starts.

Eric Chavez also homered for the A’s, who got their ninth win in 11 games.

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Tampa Bay 8, Seattle 4 -- Travis Lee hit a two-run homer, and Julio Lugo and Aubrey Huff had solo shots on consecutive pitches as the Devil Rays beat the slumping Mariners at Seattle.

Seattle fell a game behind Oakland, marking the first time since April 14 the Mariners, who have one victory in the last eight games, haven’t held a share of first place.

Tampa Bay ended a six-game losing streak.

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Boston 6, Toronto 3 -- Todd Walker hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh inning and the Red Sox overcame a three-run deficit to beat the Blue Jays at Boston for their sixth win in seven games.

With the score tied 3-3, Walker connected off Roy Halladay (17-6) for a two-run homer. He became the ninth Boston player with 10 or more homers, a Red Sox first.

The Red Sox had 11 hits, their eighth consecutive game with 10 or more.

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Kansas City 9, Texas 0 -- Rondell White drove in four runs in his first game for the Royals, and Darrell May pitched a five-hitter at Kansas City, Mo.

May (8-6) struck out three and walked one in the Royals’ first complete-game shutout since Paul Byrd beat the Angels, 4-0, on July 13, 2002.

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Cleveland 9, Detroit 7 -- Jody Gerut drove in four runs and Coco Crisp had four hits and scored four runs at Cleveland.

The Tigers hit a season-high five homers but have not won consecutive road games since June 3-4 in San Diego.