Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Jim Thome hit a three-run home run as the Chicago White Sox pounded the Pittsburgh Pirates, 16-5, in the opener of a three-game interleague set.
Joe Crede and Orlando Cabrera each hit a two-run home run and drove in three, while Jermaine Dye added a solo shot and three RBI for the White Sox, who had dropped five of six coming into the contest. Javier Vazquez (7-5) benefited from the run support as he got the win despite giving up five runs on five hits in six innings of work.
Jason Michaels drove in a pair of runs while Jose Bautista smacked a solo homer for the Pirates, who have dropped three of their last four games. Ian Snell (3-7) got the loss as he was pounded for seven runs on nine hits in four-plus innings of work.
The White Sox scored twice in the first as Dye's double to left scored A.J. Pierzynski and Carlos Quentin.
However, the Pirates answered with four runs in the second. Michaels chased home Ryan Doumit and Adam LaRoche with a double, and Doug Mientkiewicz followed with a single to left to score Michaels. Nate McLouth later lofted a sacrifice fly that plated Mientkiewicz for a 4-2 lead.
Chicago again grabbed the lead in the third with three runs. Dye led off with a home run and Alexei Ramirez later singled to bring home Nick Swisher, who had hit a ground-rule double. Cabrera's sacrifice fly scored Ramirez for a 5-4 advantage.
Bautista's two-out, solo home run in the fourth tied the game for Pittsburgh, but Chicago took the lead for good in the fifth.
Swisher led off the frame with a walk and scored as Crede followed with a double. Ramirez then doubled to bring home Crede for a 7-5 lead.
The White Sox further padded their lead in the sixth as Swisher doubled home Thome and Crede followed with a blast over the left-center wall for a 10-5 advantage.
Chicago put the exclamation point on the win in the seventh on a two-run home run from Cabrera and a three-run blast from Thome for a 15-5 lead.
Quentin's sacrifice fly in the eighth scored Cabrera to cap the scoring in the game.
Notes: Prior to the game, the White Sox placed first baseman Paul Konerko on the 15- day disabled list with a Grade 1 strain of his left oblique muscle. The move is retroactive to June 15. To take his place on the roster, the club purchased the contract of DeWayne Wise from Triple-A Charlotte..The 16-run effort was a season high for Chicago and it was also the most Pittsburgh had given up this season..Attendance was 28,012.