6B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2007
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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chicago White Sox starter pitcher Jose Centerras throws against Kansas City Royals' David DeJesus in the first inning of a baseball game Wednes day in Kansas City, Mo. The Mason XS defeated the Royals, 7-0.
White Sox defeat Royals, 7-0
Game marks 40th multihomer in Thome's career
ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) _ Jim Thome hit two home runs, Jose Contreras threw a five-hitter and the Chicago White Sox defeated the Kansas City Royals 7-0 on Wednesday night.
Thome homered with one out in the third and leading off the fifth, bringing his career total to 502 and his season total to 30. Thome, who had 36 home runs in 141 games against the Royals, has hit 30 or more home runs in 11 of the past 12 years.
It was Thome's 40th career multi-homer game. His previous was Aug. 18 at Seattle.
Contreras (10-16) held the Royals to one hit — a Billy Butler second inning single — in the first five innings. He did not allow a runner reach second until Jason LaRue's one-out double in the sixth. LaRue had two of the Royals hits.
Contreras, who won his fourth straight decision, walked one, while striking out six in his third career shutout. His previous was May 10 at Minnesota. The five hits were a career low for Contreras in a shutout.
Bannister also gave up a two-run homer to Juan Uribe in the fourth.
The White Sox scored two runs in the first on two hits and a walk. Paul Konerko's ground out scored Josh Fields, who had walked and stopped at third on Thome's double. Jermaine Dye singled home Thome.
The veteran right-hander, who never allowed a runner to reach third base, was 0-2 with a 7.30 ERA in his previous two starts this season against Kansas City.
The White Sox added a run in the seventh off left-hander Jorge De La Rosa when Dye's single scored Fields.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Brian Bannister (12-9), an American League Rookie of the Year candidate who was 7-2 in his previous 11 starts, was roughed up for six runs and eight hits, including three home runs, in five innings.
The Royals have lost 11 of 14 to drop into the AL Central cellar, a half-game behind the White Sox.
Chicago White Sox's Jim Thome (25) is congratulated by manager Ozzie Guillen after scoring on a single by Jermaine Dye in the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Wednesday in Kansas City, Mo.
than a 3-2, come-from-behind road victory against your rival?"
VOLLEYBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
EARLY SUCCESS
Everything went easy for Kansas early. Kansas utilized an efficient offense to triumph 30-22 in game one. Five players registered at least three kills, while Kaiser was perfect with three kills on three attempts.
Brown had six assists to go along with two kills of her own. Katie Martincich, sophomore setter, added four assists and made two plays worthy of a second look. With Kansas leading 23-16, Martincich fished a ball out of the net and set the ball perfectly to Kaiser. Then the sophomore clinched game one with a rare kill from settor position. Martincich found a hole in the middle of the Missouri defensive and dropped a ball in to win the game.
MISSOURI'S RESILIENCE
Kansas held on to a tight lead for most of game two, and after one of junior middle blocker/ right side Savannah Noyes' eight kills clipped the line, the Jayhawks led 17-14. But Missouri won the next three points and a Weiwen Wang kill gave Missouri an 18-17 lead. Missouri never trailed again and closed out the game 30-26 on a kill from sophomore Megan Wilson.
A stifling Missouri defense derailed Kansas in game three. Missouri took control early and cruised to a 30-20 win. Bechard said he thought his team lost its early momentum during its game-one win.
"Sometimes it's how you finish a game, and not how you start," he said. "Even though we won game won, we were back on our heels late in the game, and that carried over to games two and three."
Edited by Meghan Murphy
Emily Brown, senior setter/outside hitter, attempts a kill during Wednesday night's game at Missouri. Brown finished with twelve kills on the nighth.
gamenotes
UHART UPDATE
Junior middle blocker Natalie Uhart missed her ninth consecutive match with a undisclosed medical issue. But Coach Bechard said in a statement on Monday that he expected Uhart to recover and return the to the team.
"Right now, it's a day-to-day process," Bechard said. Uhart last played against Michigan State on Aug. 31.
The volleyball team gained the first points for Kansas in the annual Border Showdown between Kansas and Missouri. Last year Missouri won the all-sport showdown 25-14. The Border Showdown is in its sixth year.
BORDER SHOWDOWN
UP NEXT
Kansas returns home to play Texas Tech at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
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