Thome rules interleague as ChiSox win    

[June 19, 2007]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Jim Thome added to his career interleague home run lead Monday night with a three-run shot, and the struggling Chicago White Sox matched their season high for runs in a 10-6 victory over the Florida Marlins.

Jose Contreras (5-7) got his first win since May 21, allowing eight hits and five runs in 6 2-3 innings. White Sox right fielder Jermaine Dye made two diving, outstretched catches in right field but had to leave the game as a precautionary measure in the fourth inning with a strained right quadriceps.

Chicago, with only five wins in 22 games, had 13 hits.

The Marlins, losers of seven of nine, had back-to-back errors in the fourth before Thome connected.

After Josh Fields led off with a single, right fielder Jeremy Hermida missed Juan Uribe's liner for an error -- it went off the top of his glove -- and then Marlins starter Josh Johnson picked up Jerry Owens' comebacker and threw low to first for another error.

One out later, Thome followed with his ninth homer of the season and 53rd in interleague play.

Alfredo Amezaga hit a two-out RBI triple in the fifth to cut the lead to five, and Florida loaded the bases in the sixth on two walks and a throwing error by Contreras before he retired the side by striking out Miguel Olivo and getting Aaron Boone on a fly ball.

Florida got two more in the seventh and drove out Contreras on a run-scoring grounder by Hanley Ramirez and RBI single by Miguel Cabrera that made it 9-5.

Uribe's seventh-inning RBI single pushed the lead back to five.

After Hermida's RBI single made it 10-6 in the ninth, Bobby Jenks came on and struck out Olivo for his 18th save in 19 chances.

Johnson (0-1), activated from the disabled list (irritated nerve in his elbow) before the game, made his first start of the season and lasted 3 2-3 innings, giving up nine hits and eight runs -- four earned. The first three batters he faced reached, loading the bases before a run scored on Paul Konerko's double-play grounder. A.J. Pierzynski then delivered a two-out RBI single.

Olivo's single, a hit batsman, RBI single by Amezaga and sacrifice fly by Dan Uggla tied it in the third. But Chicago responded in the bottom half, loading the bases again on a single and two walks before Pierzynski hit another RBI single. Thome was cut down at the plate on a strong throw from Hermida as he tried to score from second, but Dye followed with another two-out RBI single for a 4-2 lead.

Dye made a great diving catch going to right center to rob Ramirez in the first and then a second one racing toward the line fully extended in the fourth to grab Hermida's drive. Dye got to his feet and threw to first to easily double off Cabrera.

Notes: The Marlins had never faced the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field but they had played in the White Sox's ballpark as the home team. They met the then Montreal Expos on Sept. 13-14 in 2004, forced to play there by Hurricane Ivan. ... The start of the game was delayed 24 minutes by rain. ... Olivo, who once played for the White Sox, picked two base runners off in the bottom of the seventh inning to douse a big Chicago rally.

[Associated Press]