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Contreras lifts White Sox past Orioles

Apr 17, 2008 - 3:03 AM By Sean Burns PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BALTIMORE (Ticker) - Three first-inning runs proved to be more than enough cushion for Chicago White Sox hurler Jose Contreras, as the imposing righthander earned his first win of the season with a 3-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.

Contreras (1-1) retired Baltimore in order in all but two of his seven innings, allowing four hits and striking out six. After allowing the Orioles' only run of the game in the fourth inning, Contreras retired the last 11 batters he faced.

"[Contreras was] outstanding," Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen said. "We needed him to do it, and he needed to build some confidence.

"He got to challenge some people and got ahead in the count, that made his forkball work. The last two outings, he's gotten better and better."

The solid outing lowered Contreras' ERA to 4.34 after he allowed eight earned runs in his first 11 2/3 innings of the season. He also didn't allow a walk, throwing 64 of his 91 pitches for strikes after issuing seven walks in his first two starts.

"I was very happy to be able to have a strong outing," Contreras said through an interpreter. "I threw all of my pitches for strikes and I attacked the zone."

Jim Thome returned from his one-game suspension and crushed Adam Loewen's offering in the first inning 400 feet to dead center for a three-run home run.

Nick Swisher led off the game with a single to right field, followed by Orlando Cabrera drawing a walk before Thome belted a 1-2 fastball into the center field bleachers.

Thome's home run was the 510th of the slugger's career, leaving him one shy of Mel Ott and two behind Eddie Matthews and Ernie Banks, all Hall of Famers.

"Those are some special names," Thome said. "Those are guys that have done tremendous things in this game. You don't think about that stuff, but it's pretty cool."

Loewen recovered to post a solid outing, leaving after six innings having allowed six hits and five walks, but his teammates couldn't rally against either Contreras or the White Sox bullpen.

"Loewen was pitching against a good lineup, and (his performance) says a lot about him and the improvements he has made by shutting them down after the first inning," Baltimore manager David Trembley said. "That's a real positive for us, and we made some good plays in the field

"Unfortunately, they pitched better and they got the big hit."

The only inning where the home team got the tying run into scoring position was the fourth. Nick Markakis, Kevin Millar and Aubrey Huff knocked three straight singles off Contreras, the last of which scored Markakis and left Millar standing on third. Huff swiped second to leave Baltimore a single away from potentially knotting the score, but Contreras got out of the jam.

Luke Scott was the only other Oriole to reach base against the Chicago starter, hitting a two-out single in the second.

"Contreras shows different arm angles and different speeds, and he won't throw the same pitch back-to-back," Trembley said. "When he's on, he probably forces you to expand your zone a little bit. He pitched a real good game."

Scott Linebrink allowed a single to pinch hitter Jay Payton in the eighth, but got out of the situation without incident. Bobby Jenks worked a perfect ninth, earning his sixth save in as many chances.

Thome was the only batter to finish the day with multiple hits, lacing a one-out double in the third inning. He was thrown out a play later when he tried to advance on a missed sliding catch by Markakis, gunned down by the Baltimore right fielder at third.

Oriole left fielder Luke Scott also had an outfield assist in the game, throwing out Cabrera at home in the fifth when he tried to score from second on a single by A.J. Pierzynski.