CHICAGO (AP) -- They're in the unfamiliar position of looking up instead of down in the AL Central. And second place is not where the Cleveland Indians figure to finish.

"We still got a lot of ground to make up and, hopefully, we can do that," Jim Thome said Wednesday night after his two homers powered an 8-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

	Jim Thome proved once again that he's a lock to hit at least 20 homers.

Certainly the Indians are feeling more confident after winning two straight from the White Sox, who swept a three-game series at Jacobs Field last week, won four in a row at Yankee Stadium and then captured Monday's opener for an eight-game winning streak.

"I don't worry about making up ground. We can win 20 in a row," said Kenny Lofton, who tripled, double and singled. "We've got three months to go and you don't worry about things this early."

White Sox ace James Baldwin (10-2), whose other loss was May 26 to the Yankees, was pounded for six runs and eight hits in four-plus innings, his shortest outing of the season.

"We have to realize he's human and prone to a bad outing," White Sox manager Jerry Manuel said.

"I knew I didn't have my best stuff. I wasn't able to keep the game close," Baldwin said. "We played some good defense but I wasn't able to keep it in the ball park."

Chicago still holds a 6½-game lead over Cleveland in the AL Central.

Alex Ramirez also homered for Cleveland, while Frank Thomas homered twice for Chicago and Paul Konerko once. Konerko was 4-for-5. The White Sox had several chances in the final four innings to tie, stranding seven base runners from the sixth inning on.

"When you get behind early you hope to at least have some chances to tie or win the game. We were in position but we couldn't get the big hit," Jerry Manuel said.

Dave Burba (8-2), who has won five of his last six decisions, allowed four runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

"I think it's important to come back and get some wins and close the gap. It gives you a boost and lets everybody in the clubhouse know you are still fighting," Burba said. "Our attitutde is that we're not out of it by any means."

Lofton led off the game with a triple, Omar Vizquel doubled, Roberto Alomar sacrificed and Thome hit a long homer to right-center.

Chicago closed to 3-2 in the bottom half on two-out RBI singles by Magglio Ordonez and Konerko, but Ramirez homered in the second and Cleveland made it 7-2 in the fifth.

Sandy Alomar tripled and scored on Lofton's single, and Vizquel singled off first base umpire Brian Runge, sending Lofton to third and finishing Baldwin.

After Vizquel was picked off by Kevin Beirne, Roberto Alomar hit a sacrifice fly and Thome followed with another long drive to right center, the 12th multihomer game of his career.

Konerko hit a two-run homer in the sixth, Chris Singleton beat out an infield hit and Justin Speier relieved, escaping the jam when pinch-hitter Carlos Lee popped out with two on.

Roberto Alomar hit a run-scoring double-play grounder in the seventh for an 8-4 lead. Thomas hit a solo shots in the seventh and ninth for his 16th multihomer game and first since April 1998 .

Steve Karsay got five outs for his 16th save in 19 chances.

Game notes
With at least 20 homers in seven straight seasons, Thome tied the club record set by Larry Doby from 1949-55. Thome has 216 homers, tied with Hal Trosky for third on the Indians career list. ... With David Justice and Manny Ramirez out with injuries, Thome was batting fourth for just the ninth time this season. ... Baldwin was bidding to become just the third White Sox pitcher to start a season 11-1. Reliever Barry Jones was 11-1 in 1990 and starter Eddie Cicotte 12-1 in 1919. ... Vizquel equaled his career-best 70-game streak without an error.