Soggy, groggy opener: Sox drop Indians, 10-4

Jim Thome homered as Chicago picked up where it left off after last year's title.
CHICAGO (AP) -- Oh, what a night. Championship banners were unveiled, replays of the not-so-long-ago World Series flashed on a large scoreboard and two jets roared above U.S. Cellular Field as the Chicago White Sox and their fans celebrated.
In a memorable and soggy opener that extended into the next day thanks to a nearly three-hour rain delay, the White Sox did more than relive the 2005 season that produced their first World Series winner in 88 years.
They got a glimpse of what 2006 might bring. Veteran Jim Thome, their biggest offseason addition, homered Sunday night, and young right-hander Brandon McCarthy came out of the bullpen for three perfect innings in a 10-4 win over the Cleveland Indians.
"I look at the scoreboard and it says this guy [Thome] hit more home runs against the White Sox than anybody," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He's got 18 in this ballpark. Hopefully, he'll hit another 60. I know if this kid stays healthy, he's going to do some damage in Chicago."
Thome played his first 12 seasons with the Indians before spending the last three in Philadelphia. Facing Cleveland for the first time, he drove out a long two-run homer in the fourth inning -- right after the two-hour, 57-minute rain delay -- off reliever Fernando Cabrera.
"I think everyone knows my history in Cleveland -- very fond memories," Thome said.
"It brought back a lot of memories of old. They gave me the opportunity to play. It was really weird playing them tonight."
Promising pitcher
McCarthy, who replaced starter Mark Buehrle after the long delay, showed why he is one of the White Sox's most promising pitchers. An effective starter the last month of last season, McCarthy has been sent to the bullpen with the acquisition of Javier Vazquez.
"He saved my bullpen," Guillen said.
Iguchi's sacrifice fly gave the White Sox a 4-3 lead in the fourth just before Thome delivered his shot to right for a three-run cushion. A.J. Pierzynski hit an RBI single and rookie Brian Anderson a two-run single in the fifth to make it 9-3 as the skies finally cleared.
World Series MVP Jermaine Dye, who got the first hit of the 2006 season with an infield roller, singled in another run in the sixth.
The attendance was announced at 38,802 -- a sellout -- and about one-fourth of the crowd stayed around for the resumption of the game after the long rain delay.