Thome blast power Phillies past Twins

WASHINGTON: Joe Blanton pitched a complete game and Jim Thome cracked a three-run homer to power the struggling Philadelphia Phillies to a 6-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday to wrap up their inter-league series at Target Field.
Ty Wigginton also homered for the Phillies who leave Minnesota taking two-of-three from the Twins as they continue to battle their way out of the National League East basement.
Twins lone run was off a solo shot in the bottom of the second from Trevor Plouffe, who homered for the third consecutive game.
Blanton (6-6), who had been hit hard in five previous starts gave the Phillies broke out of his slump with a polished workmanlike effort giving up one run on seven hits while striking out seven without a walk.
The right-hander received plenty of support, Wigginton connecting on a solo home run in the second and Thome following up with a three run blast in the third.
Carlos Ruiz added an RBI double in the eighth and Placido Polanco drove in another run in the ninth to complete the win.
It was career home run 607 for Thome leaving the slugger just two away from joining Sammy Sosa at number seven on the all-time list with 609.
With one more homer, Thome will also become just the fourth player to hit 100 home runs with three different teams (Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox and Phillies) joining Alex Rodriguez (Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees), Reggie Jackson (Oakland Athletics, Anaheim Angels, Yankees) and Darrell Evans (Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Detroit Tigers).