Thomas Homers as A’s Win Again

Frank Thomas hit his 37th home run and passed the 100-RBI mark, leading the Athletics over the Chicago White Sox, 7-4, Saturday.

Thomas drove in four runs for the AL West-leading A’s, who won their third game in a row. Thomas has 485 homers in his career, and with 102 runs batted in, he has reached the century mark 11 times in his career.

“To us he’s definitely the MVP,” A’s second baseman Mark Ellis said of Thomas, the former White Sox slugger.

Jermaine Dye hit his 42nd home run for Chicago, which trails Minnesota by three games in the AL wild-card race.

The White Sox lost for the 22nd time in their last 26 games in Oakland. Javier Vazquez’s winless streak was extended to seven games even though he departed with a lead.

The A’s rallied for four runs in the seventh against four White Sox relievers.

A’s starter Barry Zito (16-9) struggled, walking a career-high seven. He gave up four runs and seven hits in seven innings, and won for the fourth time in five decisions. Huston Street pitched the ninth for his 34th save in 42 opportunities.

Vazquez, 0-3 in his last seven starts, gave up three runs and five hits over six innings.

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ROUNDUP

Boston 5-5, at New York 2-7: Jason Giambi’s go-ahead double helped the Yankees get a split of their doubleheader, which boosted them into a tie with the New York Mets for the best record in the major leagues. In the opener, David Ortiz had two doubles and three walks for the Red Sox.

at Detroit 2, Baltimore 0: Nate Robertson (13-12) outdueled Kris Benson (10-11) as the Orioles lost for the 14th time in their last 18 games. Todd Jones got his 36th save.

Minnesota 4, at Cleveland 1: Torii Hunter homered, Luis Castillo had three hits and Mike Redmond had three runs batted in for the Twins. Carlos Silva, who pitched seven strong innings, has gone 8-5 after starting the season 2-8.

at Toronto 6, Tampa Bay 1: Ted Lilly (14-12) won his fourth decision in a row. Devil Rays reliever Edwin Jackson was struck in the back of the head by a line drive in the eighth inning. Jackson had to leave the game, but a Blue Jays doctor examined him and said he was fine.

at Kansas City 7, Seattle 4: The Mariners’ Ichiro Suzuki singled in his first two at-bats to extend his major league record for consecutive 200-hit seasons to begin a career to six. Suzuki went three for five and scored two runs.