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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CHICAGO (AP) -- It was career-high night for Frank Thomas.
Thomas hit a grand slam and drove in five runs as the Chicago
White Sox beat Detroit 10-3 Monday night, sending the Tigers to
their sixth straight loss.
|  | | From the DHs-can-win-the-MVP department: Frank Thomas set career highs for homers (42) and RBI (139) Monday night. |
"It was one of those nights when I set career highs in both
categories and it's especially nice to get the win," said Thomas,
who has an AL-leading 42 homers and a major league-leading 139
RBI.
Thomas hit an RBI double in the first and added his second grand
slam of the season in the eighth off Nelson Cruz. Thomas, who has
seven career slams, came out for a curtain call for the
small-but-loud crowd of 21,527.
"This is what people said is the real Frank Thomas," White Sox
manager Jerry Manuel said. "It's exciting to watch him. He's
dominating the league at this time. He's the best right-handed
hitter I've seen in baseball."
His previous home run high was 41, set in 1993, when he was a
unanimous MVP winner. His previous RBI high was 134, in 1996.
"He's on top of his game at this time," Manuel said.
Chicago, which has won four of five, increased its AL Central
lead to eight games over idle Cleveland.
Mike Sirotka (14-10), the most consistent starter on the injury-ravaged staff, won his fourth straight decision and matched his
career high in wins, set in 1998. He gave up three runs, all in the
first, and six hits in seven innings.
"I just had a little trouble locating early on," said Sirotka, who, because of mud on the mound, switched shoes to ones with
longer spikes after the first inning.
"I think I've been very consistent," he said. "When we play
well behind me, good things happen."
Bob Howry pitched two innings for his seventh save in 12
chances.
Brian Moehler (12-8), who had won his six previous decisions,
allowed four runs and nine hits in five-plus innings, losing for
the first time in eight starts since Texas beat him July 28.
Detroit dropped eight games behind Cleveland in the wild-card
race.
"It took us three months to get mentioned in the wild card and
it took us less than a week to be out of it," the Tigers' Brad
Ausmus said. "Guys are embarrassed."
"If we can't shake this, then this summer hasn't been a good
learning experience," Tigers manager Phil Garner said.
"There was a stretch where we were checking the scoreboard,
seeing how Cleveland was doing," Dean Palmer said. "Now, we're at
a point where there's no reason to look."
Palmer's RBI single and Tony Clark's double that dropped in
front of a diving Carlos Lee in left put Detroit ahead 3-0 in the
first.
Thomas doubled in the bottom half, and Magglio Ordonez pulled
the White Sox within a run with an RBI single in the fifth.
Paul Konerko doubled off the left-field wall leading off the
sixth and scored on Herbert Perry's game-tying single, chasing
Moehler.
Chris Singleton sacrificed off C.J. Nitkowski, Charles Johnson
walked. Ray Durham grounded out, putting runners on second and
third.
Jose Valentin then bunted and the ball dropped in front of a
diving Nitkowski. Ausmus fielded the ball but overthrew Clark at
first for an error as Perry and Johnson scored, one on the bunt,
the other on the error.
Valentin was bunting on his own, according to Manuel.
"I said the worst thing that can happen is they throw me out at
first," Valentin said. "I just wanted to make something happen."
"It was crazy to see Jose put down that bunt," Thomas said.
Tony Graffanino walked with the bases loaded in the eighth
before Thomas' slam.
Game notes
Thomas hit his other grand slam off Baltimore on April 26. ...
Plate umpire Jerry Crawford left the game after the first with
tightness in his right hamstring. ... The Tigers have won 10 of
their last 12 games against left-handed starters. ... The White Sox
are 6-1 against the Tigers this year. ... Lee was selected AL
co-player of the week after batting .583 with two RBI in six games
last week.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Detroit Clubhouse
Chi. White Sox Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 4
NY Yankees 0
Chi. White Sox 10
Detroit 3
Baltimore 3
Anaheim 1
Oakland 5
Tampa Bay 1
Kansas City 6
Seattle 3
Philadelphia 5
Montreal 2
Montreal 7
Philadelphia 6
(2nd game)
Cincinnati 7
Chicago Cubs 6
St. Louis 8
Pittsburgh 4
Milwaukee 8
NY Mets 2
San Francisco 8
Houston 7
Los Angeles 6
Arizona 3
San Diego 7
Colorado 2
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