BOSTON—Jim Thome tied Mickey Mantle for 14th place with his 536th career homer, Gavin Floyd won his fifth straight decision and the Chicago White Sox beat the Boston Red Sox 4-2 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.

Thome hit a two-out, two-run drive off Tim Wakefield (8-9) in the first inning for his 29th of the season. Thome and Paul Konerko hit consecutive two-out doubles in the sixth to give Chicago a 3-1 lead.

The White Sox started the day with a half-game lead in the AL Central over Minnesota, which played at Oakland later Sunday. Boston led the Twins by 3 1/2 ga...

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