CHICAGO (AP) ― Paul Konerko got a big milestone home run and the White Sox got a sweep of the only team between them and the AL Central lead.
Konerko’s tiebreaking three-run homer was his 400th for the White Sox and Chicago routed the Cleveland Indians 12-6 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.
The White Sox have won five straight for the first time this season and nine of 10 overall.
Konerko, who extended his hitting streak to 13 games, also came out for a curtain call after fans chanted “Paul-ie! Paul-ie!” following No. 400.
“It’s probably the thing I’m proud of most, more than any numbers,” he said. “I’m proud of that one fact of just being here as long as I have.”
Drafted by the Dodgers in 1994, Konerko played in 55 games for Los Angeles and 26 for Cincinnati before coming to Chicago in a trade after the 1998 season.
The 36-year-old first baseman hit 31 homers last season and 39 the year before that.
Chicago has homered in 13 consecutive games for the first time since 2006, and scored nine or more runs in four consecutive games. The White Sox haven’t accomplished that feat since June 27-30, 1938, the White Sox said, citing the Elias Sports Bureau in statistics distributed by the team.
In the fourth inning, Konerko battled back from an 0-2 count against Ubaldo Jimenez in the fourth inning and deposited the eighth pitch of the at-bat into the left-center field seats to give Chicago a 7-4 lead.
