Konerko Keeps White Sox Going

Jon Garland didn’t need to pitch well, with Paul Konerko’s slump having ended.

Konerko homered twice and drove in five runs, a day after ending an 0-for-26 slump, and the Chicago White Sox won their seventh in a row, 10-7, over the Blue Jays on Saturday at Toronto.

Staked to 6-1 lead in the second, Garland became the American League’s first six-game winner. Garland (6-0) tossed shutouts in his previous two starts, but Shea Hillenbrand ended his 23-inning scoreless streak with a RBI grounder in the first.

Garland gave up six runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings. He has won eight consecutive starts dating to last season, the longest streak by a White Sox pitcher since James Baldwin won eight in a row in 2000.

“They picked me up big time,” Garland said. “I never got into a groove.”

Tadahito Iguchi, Juan Uribe and Aaron Rowand also homered to help the White Sox improve their major league-best record to 23-7. Scott Podsednik tied a career high with four stolen bases.

Konerko hit a two-run homer off Ted Lilly (1-3) in the first and a three-run shot off Matt Whiteside in the fourth, his second multihomer game this season and the 13th of his career.

“It was a matter of time before we busted out. We’ve played a lot of one-run games, and that can wear on you,” Konerko said. “It’s nice to get a game where you can coast.”

The White Sox extended their major league record of consecutive games with a lead to 30 when Konerko homered in the first.

Texas 6, Cleveland 1 -- Alfonso Soriano had his second straight two-homer game, this one in a victory as the Rangers won at Arlington, Texas.

Soriano’s home run leading off the second inning was his third in three at-bats, after a pair of two-run homers Friday in an 8-6 loss to the Indians. After an RBI double in the third, he led off the fifth with another homer, his 10th this season. He even made a diving catch at second base for the final out.

Ryan Drese (3-3) limited the Indians to one run and six hits in throwing the Rangers’ first complete game of the season and ending his two-game losing streak. Scott Elarton (0-2) lost his 13th straight decision in 28 road starts since May 2001.

Baltimore 5, Kansas City 3 -- Brian Roberts homered on the first pitch in the bottom of the first inning to back some impressive pitching by Bruce Chen in the Orioles’ victory at Baltimore.

Miguel Tejada hit a two-run double for the first-place Orioles, who have won 11 of 13 to move 11 games over .500 (20-9) for the first time since 1997, their last winning season.

Chen (4-1) gave up two unearned runs in seven innings in winning his third straight start. B.J. Ryan struck out Eli Marrero with the bases loaded and two out in the eighth, then got three more outs for his seventh save.

Jose Lima (0-3) remained winless in seven starts this season, giving up five runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Minnesota 8, Tampa Bay 1 -- Lew Ford’s two-run double capped a four-run fifth inning and Justin Morneau hit a three-run homer to lead the Twins at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Ford’s hit came with two out and the bases loaded. The Twins had been hitless in 14 previous at-bats this season in that situation.

Morneau, who entered as a defensive replacement in the eighth, homered in Minnesota’s four-run ninth.

Kyle Lohse (2-2) gave up one run and five hits in five innings for Minnesota.

Scott Kazmir (0-4) gave up four runs and seven hits in seven innings. The Twins were hitless through four innings before scoring four runs on six hits against the 21-year-old left-hander in the fifth.

Seattle at Boston, ppd. -- The Mariners’ game against the Red Sox was postponed because of rain. The teams will play a doubleheader today.