Jim Thome moved into a tie with Ernie Banks and Eddie Mathews on the home run list, and was thrilled to be mentioned with the two Hall of Famers.
He was even more pleased that career homer No. 512 came in a Chicago win.
Thome went deep for the fifth time this season, John Danks struck out eight in seven innings and the White Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-0 on Sunday.
“It felt good to do that and get a ‘W,”’ Thome said.
Thome also tied a career high with four hits. His second homer in the past three games tied him with Banks and Mathews for 19th place.
“There’s a lot of respect for those guys and what they’ve done for the game,” Thome said. “To be a part of that is special as well. It’s very humbling to have those names mentioned because of the great players they were. To be on that list is pretty special.”
Alex Rodriguez, 15th on the list with 522 homers, is hoping to be able to add to his total when the Yankees play the White Sox on Tuesday. Rodriguez strained his right quadriceps while running out a grounder in New York’s 7-1 win at Baltimore.
Rodriguez and Josh Hamilton of Texas are the only AL players to start every game this season, and A-Rod will have an extra day to recover because the Yankees are off Monday.
“I’ll get some rest, wake up and see how it feels,” he said. “I’ll treat it all day. I have a heat pad, sleep on that, then ice it, and do treatment all day and let it roll.”
In other AL games, it was: Seattle 4, Los Angeles Angels 2; Toronto 5, Detroit 3; Boston 6, Texas 5; Minnesota 2, Cleveland 1, 10 innings; and Oakland 7, Kansas City 1.
Danks (2-1) allowed three singles for the White Sox, who have won 11 of their past 16 games. The left-hander has not given up a run in two straight starts, totaling 14 2-3 innings. It’s the first time he has won back-to-back starts since last July.
“My goal is just not to be the guy I was last year,” Danks said. “Last year I felt like I was the guy when someone would ask who’s pitching and they would say me, it was kind of like ‘Well, let me strap it on today, we’ve got to score.’ I want to be the guy that the team knows that when I go out there we’re going to hold them to three runs or less and I’m going to give them a chance to win.”
Edwin Jackson (2-2) gave up six runs and seven hits in 4 1-3 innings for the host Rays.
Andy Pettitte (3-1) pitched seven scoreless innings, Johnny Damon homered and Derek Jeter had a three-run double as the Yankees salvaged the finale of a three-game series.
Steve Trachsel (1-3) allowed three runs and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings for the Orioles.
Mariners 4, Angels 2
At Anaheim, Calif., Miguel Batista allowed eight hits over 7 2-3 scoreless innings, Richie Sexson hit a two-run homer and Seattle avoided a three-game sweep.
The Angels scored twice in the ninth before Ryan Rowland-Smith struck out Garret Anderson on a full-count pitch with the bases loaded to end it.
Batista (2-2) struck out eight and walked one. Rowland-Smith earned his second save.
Dustin Moseley (1-2) allowed four runs, eight hits and two walks over 4 2-3 innings for the Angels.
Blue Jays 5, Tigers 3
David Eckstein hit a three-run homer, supplying some of the power Toronto might miss without Frank Thomas.
A.J. Burnett (2-1) issued a season-high six walks in five innings but still managed to win for the first time in four starts. He allowed three runs and four hits.
Toronto released Thomas before the game, one day after the slumping designated hitter became angry for being taken out of the lineup. The move leaves the Blue Jays on the hook for $7,081,967, the remainder of his $8 million salary this year in the $18.12 million, two-year contract the 39-year-old Thomas signed in November 2006.
Nate Robertson (0-2) remained winless, giving up five runs and eight hits in five innings for visiting Detroit.
Jeremy Accardo worked the ninth for his fourth save.
Red Sox 6, Rangers 5
Sean Casey’s bases-loaded walk capped a four-run eighth inning and Boston won for the eighth time in nine games.
The Red Sox overcame a 5-0 deficit and have taken the first three in a four-game series that concludes Monday with the annual 11:05 a.m. start on Patriots Day.
On Saturday night, Manny Ramirez homered during a three-run comeback in the eighth for a 5-3 victory. Ramirez was ejected early this time for arguing a called third strike.
Ian Kinsler led off the game with a home run for Texas. Milton Bradley had a three-run homer off Tim Wakefield (2-0) in the sixth, a shot that hit an advertising sign above the Monster seats in left field and made it 5-0.
C.J. Wilson (0-1) got the loss for Texas.
Twins 2, Indians 1, 10 innings
Justin Morneau singled home Brendan Harris in the 10th, lifting Minnesota.
Morneau is hitting .269 this season, but is 9-for-15 (.600) with 12 RBIs with runners in scoring position.
Rafael Perez (0-1) took the loss in relief of an impressive start from Paul Byrd, and the defending AL Central champions have lost 12 of their past 16 after a 2-0 start.
Harris had three hits and a home run and Matt Guerrier (1-1) got the win for the host Twins, who took two of three from the Indians despite scoring only five runs in the series.
Athletics 7, Royals 1
Oakland battered rookie Luke Hochevar just as it did Kansas City’s experienced starters the previous two days.
Jack Hannahan’s two-run double highlighted a five-run fourth inning, Dana Eveland (2-1) won for the first time in three starts and the host Athletics completed a three-game sweep.
Rob Bowen, Chris Denorfia and Mark Ellis all hit RBI singles in the fourth off Hochevar (0-1).
Oakland improved to 12-8 for its best record through 20 games since starting 13-7 in 1992.
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