White Sox beat Cubs in cross-town clash

Mark Buehrle threw a complete game two- hitter and Paul Konerko drove in three runs, as the Chicago White Sox beat the Cubs, 6-1, in the opener of the three-game Windy City Series at U.S. Cellular Field. Buehrle (5-2) gave up an unearned run while walking two and striking out a pair to record his 19th career complete game and his first since September 25, 2005 against Minnesota. After the first inning, Buehrle retired 25 of the next 27 batters, including 12 straight, until Ronny Cedeno`s single in the seventh frame. "He threw the ball well, not too many pitches, not too deep in the count," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He`s thrown the ball real well. It`s got to be the best one he`s thrown all year." Konerko went 2-for-4 with a run scored and Jim Thome homered for the White Sox, who lead the all-time series 26-23. Tadahito Iguchi finished with a pair of hits and two runs scored for the Southsiders, who have won four of their last six games. Todd Walker drove in the lone Cubs run and Greg Maddux (5-3) pitched 5 2/3 innings, yielding six runs on nine hits and five walks in the loss, the Northsiders sixth in their last eight attempts. Tied 1-1, the White Sox moved in front with four runs in the third inning. Scott Podsednik walked, Iguchi singled and Thome walked to load the bases. Konerko lined a double to left, plating a pair of runs, and Thome scored on Jermaine Dye`s groundout for a 4-1 margin. After A.J. Pierzynski popped out, Joe Crede hit a run-scoring single to left, but was thrown out at second. Thome added an insurance run for the White Sox in the fifth with an opposite- field homer on a 2-1 offering. "He`s legit. He`s in scoring position every time he steps in the box," Maddux said of Thome. "He can hit and he helps the guys around him as well." The Cubs opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning. Juan Pierre hit an infield single before Jerry Hairston, Jr. dropped a sacrifice bunt. However the runners advanced to second and third on Pierzynski`s throwing error, and Pierre scored moments later on Walker`s sacrifice fly to center. The lead was short-lived, though, as the White Sox evened the score in the bottom of the frame. Iguchi lined a one-out single to center, stole second and scored on Konerko`s base hit to right. Game Notes The Cubs will pitch Rich Hill (0-3) against Freddy Garcia (6-1) on Saturday...Pierzynski committed his first error in his last 151 games, dating back to April 18, 2005 versus Minnesota...Thome has 47 interleague home runs, which is more than any other player...Buehrle is 42-18 at U.S. Cellular Field since 2002...Maddux is 19-8 with a 3.53 earned run average in 35 interleague starts.