101

Now that's more like it. The White Sox demonstrated how to play baseball last night, beating up on Tampa Bay, 6-1. Jon Garland evened his record at 5-5, scattering five hits and one run in seven innings. Matt Thornton served as fireman rather than arsonist, pitching two scoreless innings, while giving up only one hit. The offense showed up again, recording a dozen hits, with production from everyone in the lineup except Tadahito Iguchi. The heart of the order -- 3-4-5 hitters, Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, and A.J. Pierzynski -- and Juan Uribe each collected two hits. Rookie Andy Gonzalez followed up his four-hit night Monday with his first Major League home run, and Thome added his tenth dinger of the season.

Thome's blast was the 482nd of his career, meaning that 500 homers are within reach this season. Assuming he continues at his career pace of 40 homers every 162 games and that he plays at least 73 of the remaining 89 games, he should join the 500 club. Even at the pace of his last five years, which includes the injury-plagued 2005 season, he can do it if he plays in all 89 games. Think about it this way: Thome just needs to average six homers a month over July, August and September to get there. By the way, Frank Thomas is still waiting to collect Number 500. Hopefully, he gets it in his next game. Go Jim, and Go Frank.

The win marked the first time the Sox have won two games in a row in over a month. It leaves them 12.5 games behind Cleveland and Detroit. And the Magic Number is now down to 101. Before we get too giddy about this recent success, let's remember that the Sox are still closer to last place than third place in the Central Division and still have the fewest wins in the league. But a win's a win. Let's get some more. Go Sox!