• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Thome goes for career home run No. 500 vs. Angels

Sep 16, 2007 - 1:45 PM La Angels (87-61) at Chi White Sox (63-85) 2:05 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) - Jim Thome will look for his 500th home run when the Chicago White Sox take on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the rubber match of the three-game series.

Thome, who has 27 home runs this season, is 0-for-7 since hitting number 499 on Wednesday. The 37-year-old slugger would be the 23rd player in history to notch 500 career home runs. Thome would be the third player to reach the mark this season, joining Frank Thomas of the Toronto Blue Jays and Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees.

Joe Saunders (8-3, 3.97 ERA) will look to stay out of the record book when he takes the mound for the Angels on Sunday.

Saunders earned the win in his last start, but was mediocre at best. The 26-year-old lefthander scattered 10 hits and four runs over five innings as the Angels beat the Baltimore Orioles, 10-5, on Tuesday.

Saunders has faced the White Sox just once in his career, allowing seven runs over 3 1/3 innings during the 2006 season.

Mark Buehrle (9-9, 3.39) will try to earn his first win since August 3 when he toes the rubber for the White Sox.

Buehrle, who is 0-3 over his last six starts, allowed just one run and seven hits over seven innings in his last outing against Detroit on September 6.

Buehrle is 1-4 with a 4.21 ERA lifetime against the Angels.