CHICAGO - At least this time, Nick Blackburn doesn't have to relive the awful moment all winter. But he did have to relive it again on Sunday.
Jim Thome swatted a Blackburn fastball beyond the center field wall on Sunday, breaking a tie and sending the White Sox to victory. Unlike last September's division-title playoff, Thome's homer off Blackburn wasn't the only run of the game - Chicago tacked on a few more against the Twins' bullpen to win the series with a 6-1 victory -- but that won't ease the sting in the right-hander's mind. The stakes were higher in Blackburn's last appearance in U.S. Cellular Field, but the outcome the same. When Thome came to the plate in the sixth inning, Blackburn tried to pitch carefully, eventually running the count to 3-2. Then a 91-mph fastball broke across the middle of the plate, and Thome didn't miss.
It was the slugger's 56th career home run against the Twins , the most ever by a Minnesota opponent.
The Twins , on the other hand, continued their punchless skid, avoiding their third shutout in four days only because Delmon Young's second inning shot to center cleared the wall by several feet, his first home run of the season. The next 16 Twins hitters went down in order, and Minnesota didn't add another hit until the eighth inning.
Mark Buehrle earned his 22nd career victory by quieting the Twins , who scored 12 runs on Friday - and one in the following two days. Minnesota has scored 26 runs in its first seven games, but a dozen came in that one victory.
Jermaine Dye also homered for the White Sox, off Twins closer Joe Nathan, who pitched the eighth just to get some work after making just one appearance in the season's first week.
The Twins loaded the bases in the ninth inning off reliever Clayton Richard, but closer Bobby Jenks struck out Joe Crede, then induced a first-pitch double-play ball from Young to end the game.
