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  Wednesday, May 3 8:05pm ET
Sox jolt Jays with back-to-back-to-back blasts
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

CHICAGO (AP) -- First Jose Valentin. Then Frank Thomas. Finally Paul Konerko.

"It was a sweet moment. We needed it. Just a good way to break out," Thomas, the middle man during back-to-back-to-back homers, said Wednesday night as the Chicago White Sox powered their way past the Toronto Blue Jays 7-3.

Mark Johnson also homered in the sixth inning, a two-run shot to break a 2-2 tie, as the White Sox snapped a mini-hitting slump and broke a three-game losing streak.

"It didn't occur to me what had happened until I came back in the dugout," Konerko said. "I forgot Valentin hit one before Frank because they changed pitchers."

Valentin also homered in the first, and the long ball display made it easy for James Baldwin (5-0).

"It was just big. As you can see, we can hit the ball anytime. All I had to do was go out and keep throwing strikes and get their guys to put the ball in play," Baldwin said.

Johnson homered and one batter later Valentin's second solo shot finished Kelvim Escobar (2-4). Thomas and Konerko then connected off reliever John Frascatore.

"Escobar just got behind a lot batters, so he had to throw a lot of pitches," Blue Jays manager Jim Fregosi said. "And we had opportunities to score. We just couldn't get the big hit."

Baldwin, a notoriously slow starter who didn't win his fifth game last season until Aug. 1, allowed four hits and three runs in 7 1/3 innings, including solo homers to Marty Cordova and Darrin Fletcher. Baldwin left after Homer Bush hit an RBI single in the eighth to break an 0-for-20 skid.

Keith Foulke pitched 1 2/3 innings for his fourth save.

Game notes
Baldwin's 5-0 start is the best by a White Sox pitcher since Wilson Alvarez went 8-0 in 1994. ... The White Sox sixth marked the first time the Blue Jays had ever allowed four homers in one inning. ... The last time the White Sox went back-to-back-to-back was May 26, 1996, when Thomas, Harold Baines and Robin Ventura connected against Milwaukee. ... The five homers give the White Sox 43 in 28 games ... Toronto's two homers gave the Blue Jays seven in the three-game series and an AL-leading 50 in 29 games this season. ... Escobar is 0-4 lifetime against the White Sox. ... Baldwin is 13-2 in his last 17 starts dating to Aug. 1. ... The last time the Jays allowed back-to-back-to-backs was Aug. 24, 1985, against the White Sox at old Comiskey Park. Rudy Law, Brian Little and Harold Baines homered consecutively. Little is now the White Sox's first base coach.
 


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