CHICAGO (AP) -- For most of the last five years, Cal Eldred's career has hinged on the condition of his right elbow. So when he pitched a two-hitter Monday night for his first complete game in nearly three years, he was quick with a joke.

"I don't need any more shots in my arm," he said after pitching the Chicago White Sox to an 8-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. "I've had enough of those."

	Cal Eldred struck out 11 in his first complete game in three years. Eldred is 8-2 against the Orioles lifetime.

Eldred retired 26 of the final 27 batters as the White Sox won their sixth straight game.

Eldred, acquired in an offseason trade with Milwaukee, got his first win since last Sept. 1. He struck out 11 in an overpowering performance that was his first complete game since May 1997 when he beat the White Sox while pitching for the Brewers.

"When I was told I had 11 strikeouts I was surprised," Eldred said. "My outfielders kept running into the walls and making catches, and when they make great plays like that it boosts a pitcher a little bit."

Eldred (1-0), who won only two games last season because of recurring elbow problems, walked leadoff hitter Brady Anderson and then gave up an RBI double to Delino DeShields before retiring 14 straight. Charles Johnson hit a leadoff homer in the sixth, but Eldred didn't allow another runner.

"A lot of times people make a big deal of giving up runs early, but you can settle down if you can keep your focus," Eldred said. "If you know you're going to go deep in a ballgame, whether it's a complete game or not, then you're giving your team a chance to win."

Rookie Josh Paul hit his first major league homer, a three-run shot off Mike Mussina (0-2), who failed for the fifth straight start to earn his first victory.

Mussina hasn't won since last Sept. 30 against the Yankees. He gave up two more homers and has surrendered seven this season, tying him for the AL lead. He lasted 6 1/3 innings, giving up eight hits and seven runs.

Mussina refused to blame his performance on fatigue, even though the Orioles did not arrive in Chicago until early Monday morning after a late game the night before in Oakland.

"We played a long game and then we didn't have a plane, but I'm not going to make excuses," Mussina said. "I'm sure it had an effect on all of us. It's been a tough 24 hours. Add to that the fact that Eldred threw the way he did and I didn't do much pitching-wise."

Paul's home run in the second gave the White Sox a 5-1 lead.

Chris Singleton led off the second with a bunt single and a missed tag by Orioles shortstop Mike Bordick helped the inning along.

Bordick fielded Carlos Lee's grounder to short and caught Singleton off the bag at second, but couldn't get to him before he dove back to the base. Greg Norton then hit an RBI single before Paul followed with the homer.

Chicago, which has always given Mussina trouble, drove the right-hander out in the seventh as Paul tripled, Ray Durham hit an RBI single and Frank Thomas delivered a run-scoring double. Norton hit a solo home run off Chuck McElroy in the eighth inning to extend the lead to 8-2.

The White Sox tied the game at 1 in the bottom half on Jose Valentin's first homer of the season and first with the White Sox.

Game notes
Chicago is 13-6, the best start through 19 games since the 1973 team had the same mark. ... Eldred is now 8-2 against the Orioles lifetime, his best winning percentage against any American League club. It was his first win in the AL since 1997. ... Mussina is now 9-10 against the White Sox, his most losses against any team. ... Cal Ripken was rested and didn't start for just the third time in 18 games. The Orioles didn't arrive in Chicago until nearly 7 a.m. CT Monday following an extra-inning loss in Oakland on Sunday night and then a delayed flight from the West Coast. ... Albert Belle, who played two seasons with the White Sox, was booed loudly every time he came to bat or made a play in right field.