Thome passes Schmidt, Chisox rout Angels 17-3

[May 26, 2009]  ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Jim Thome surpassed Mike Schmidt for 13th place on the career home run list, Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko also went deep, and the Chicago White Sox routed the Los Angeles Angels 17-3

John Danks (4-3) breezed to the victory after Thome helped stake the left-hander to an 11-3 lead in the third with his 549th home run and eighth this season. The five-time All-Star also had an RBI single during Chicago's 24-hit attack, which included four each by Scott Podsednik and Alexei Ramirez.

Danks pitched six innings, allowing three runs, four hits and a career-high six walks. Dye drove in four runs and Ramirez had three RBIs for the defending AL Central champions, who spoiled the return of slugger Vladimir Guerrero to the Angels' lineup.

Guerrero was 0-for-4 in his first game since April 15, after being sidelined because of a torn pectoral muscle on the right side of his chest. The two-time defending AL West champion Angels were 25-15 in his absence, and currently trail first-place Texas by three games.

Ervin Santana (0-2) retired only three of the 13 batters he faced in his third start of the season, and left the game after just 41 pitches trailing 7-3 with no one out in the second inning. The right-hander, who missed the first 32 games of the campaign because of a sprained elbow, gave up nine hits including Dye's 12th home run.

Angels center fielder Torii Hunter, who slammed into the fence at Dodger Stadium catching a drive by Matt Kemp in Sunday's 10-6 win and left that game two innings later with tightness in his right leg, was back in the lineup. He spent the night back in his hometown of Pine Bluff, Ark., so that he could attend the funeral of his 94-year-old grandmother, Zelma Louise Hunter.

Santana's first 21 pitches resulted in three runs and five hits during the opening inning. Dye and Thome had RBI singles and Carlos Quentin added a run-scoring double to center field over Hunter's head. But Quentin felt some irritation in his left foot the way to first base -- a recurrence of plantar fasciitis -- and had to leave the game for a pinch-runner.

The Angels tied it in the bottom half. Hunter hit a two-run single, then stole second and third before Robb Quinlan drove him in with a single. Chone Figgins started the rally with a single that extended his hitting streak to 13 games, one shy of his career best.

Chicago regained the lead with four runs in the second, including Dye's homer into the upper tier of the double-decker bullpen in left field. The White Sox tacked on four more in the third, including Thome's three-run shot to right field on a 2-1 pitch from Rafael Rodriguez. Luckily for Thome, a disgusted Angels fan threw the milestone baseball ball back onto the field.

Konerko added his seventh homer in the fifth against Jason Bulger.

Notes: Thome and Schmidt both hit 30 or more home runs in nine consecutive seasons. Thome's streak is still alive.

[Associated Press]

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