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Thome homers twice, Contreras shuts down Royals

Sep 20, 2007 - 4:12 AM By Marc Bowman PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- Jim Thome hit two home runs and Jose Contreras threw his second shutout of the season as the Chicago White Sox posted a 7-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.

Contreras needed little support as he allowed just five hits to help the White Sox (66-86) climb out of last place and ahead of the Royals (65-86) in the American League Central Division.

Contreras (10-16), who was sent to the bullpen after losing seven straight in June and July, has gone 4-2 with a 3.64 ERA in seven starts since returning to the rotation on August 17.

"Everything has been clicking since I came back from the bullpen," Contreras said through an interpreter. "The mechanics have been good, and I give that all the credit."

The 35-year-old righthander walked one and struck out five as he faced just one batter over the minimum through the first five innings. He went on to record the third shutout of his career, with all three coming in the last two seasons.

"This was the Contreras we know," Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He's done this before. The last four or five outings, he has gotten better and better. He kept his pitch count low and attacked the strike zone early in the count. He was throwing the forkball for strikes, and when he does that, there's no doubt in my mind he can be one of the best in the game."

"This was, obviously, my best outing," Contreras said. "I felt strong out of the bullpen. It's been a bad year, but this is the best I have felt. Throwing the first pitch for a strike, that was important. Wherever (catcher A.J. Pierzynski) put the glove, I was able to hit it all night long."

Thome provided more than enough run support, recording the 40th multi-homer game of his career while adding a double and three runs scored.

Thome's first homer - a 396-foot shot to left-center field - extended Chicago's lead to 3-0 with one out in the third.

"Thome's homer was big for us," Guillen said. "That makes the game so much easier for us."

Thome took over the team lead with his leadoff blast in the fifth, a 412-foot line drive to center. It was his 30th homer of the season, marking the 11th time in his last 12 seasons he has reached the mark.

"I knew the ball Thome hit to center was hit hard, but I didn't think it was hit that hard," Royals manager Buddy Bell said.

"To be honest, I thought (center fielder David DeJesus) might catch it," Thome said. "When I saw him going back, I thought it might be over his head but off the wall."

Jose Uribe boosted Chicago's lead to 5-0 in the fourth with a two-run blast down the left field line, his 20th homer of the season.

The White Sox jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first. Josh Fields walked ahead of Thome's double and scored on a groundout by Paul Konerko. Jermaine Dye's two-out single plated Thome.

"It's a good thing we got a couple of runs early," Guillen said. "It helped Jose settle in."

Dye added a second RBI single in the seventh to cap the scoring.

Brian Bannister (12-9) allowed eight hits and six runs in five innings while walking one and striking out one for Kansas City. The rookie righthander has lost consecutive decisions for the first time since July 4-16.

"There are a lot of external things in my head right now that don't need to be there," Bannister said. "I'm not pitching relaxed and I'm not executing the pitches the way that I normally do."