White Sox hold off Yankees to end losing streak

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Chicago White Sox snapped a five-game losing streak with a 6-4 victory over a weary New York Yankees in the opener of a four-game home series on Monday.

The Yankees, who pulled out a 6-5 win over the Red Sox in Boston on Sunday night, did not get into their hotel rooms until about 5 a.m. and looked sluggish against Chicago righthander Jon Garland, who pitched into the ninth to claim the victory.

"Garland was outstanding," Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen told reporters. "He threw the ball real well.

"He was aggressive and made those guys swing the bat. When Garland does that, this is what he can do."

Roger Clemens, who is making his return to the Yankees after signing a prorated $28 million free agent deal, was due to start the game, but had to be pushed back because of a groin problem.

Clemens underwent an MRI scan on Monday which indicated he had a disturbance of some scar tissue but the 44-year-old hopes to pitch on Saturday against Pittsburgh.

On the mound, rookie Matt DeSalvo lasted only into the second inning and suffered the loss after Chicago had forged a 3-1 lead.

The White Sox added two more runs in the fourth and another in the seventh to stretch their lead to five runs.

Garland (4-3) gave up seven hits and left during a three-run Yankee rally in the ninth as the White Sox won for the second time in their last nine games. Bobby Jenks earned his 16th save.

Jim Thome and Paul Konerko homered for Chicago -- Thome hitting the 480th of his career.

*The Red Sox, who had to fly all the way to the west coast after that Sunday game, tied Oakland with two runs in the ninth, but Eric Chavez hit a solo homer with two out in the bottom of the 11th to give the A's a 5-4 victory. Mark Ellis hit for the cycle for the home team.

*The Angels pounded out 23 hits, four of them homers, including a grand slam by Gary Matthews Jr. (one of his four hits) in a 16-3 rout of the Minnesota Twins in Anaheim.

*The Mariners rallied to a 7-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles in Seattle as Ichiro Suzuki's go-ahead RBI double was the key in a four-run eighth inning. Suzuki also homered, had three hits and is hitting .333.