NEW YORK // Jim Thome's 537th career home run in the 15th innings lifted the American League Central leading Chicago White Sox to a 7-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Saturday. With one down in the 15th, Thome greeted Justin Speier with a solo blast into the right-field seats to snap a tie with Mickey Mantle and move into sole possession of 14th place on the career home run list.
The White Sox extended their lead in the Central Division to two and a half games after Magglio Ordonez had three hits, including a tie-breaking two-run homer in the eighth, as the Detroit Tigers rallied for a 6-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins. At the Rogers Centre, Gregg Zaun's walk-off grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the 13th inning lifted the Toronto Blue Jays to their seventh straight victory with a 7-4 triumph over the East-leading Tampa Bay Rays.
The Boston Red Sox remain two and a half games back in the East after the Texas Rangers built a seven-run rally around walks and singles in the second inning and cruised to a 15-8 win. Nelson Cruz homered twice and drove in five runs for the Rangers, who scored at least 15 runs for the fourth time this season. Rookie left-hander Matt Harrison pitched well enough to get the win, yielding four runs and seven hits in six frames while striking out four and issuing a walk.
In Seattle, Bobby Abreu homered and highlighted a five-run seventh inning with a two-run triple to lead the New York Yankees to a 7-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners. Jason Giambi also homered and doubled to drive in two runs as the Yankees banged out 12 hits to end a two-game losing streak. After the first game of a double header was postponed indefinitely due to rain, Jack Cust homered twice and drove in three runs and Greg Smith tossed seven shutout innings as the Oakland Athletics handed the Baltimore Orioles their seventh loss in a row after posting a 5-1 win.
David DeJesus had three hits and Gil Meche won for the first time in five starts as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Cleveland Indians 3-1. * PA Sport
