Toronto ? A rain delay at SkyDome helped the Chicago White Sox win their seventh straight game.

Frank Thomas hit a go-ahead single in the 13th inning as the White Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 4-3, in a game that featured just the fourth rain delay in Skydome history.

Toronto’s Kelvim Escobar was working on a shutout in the top of the sixth, when a sudden shower arrived with the retractable roof open.

“It was weird to see a rain delay in a dome,” Thomas said. “Escobar was really going well early. He was hitting his spots. Maybe the rain delay hurt him a little bit.”

Ahead 2-0, Escobar was pitching to Carl Everett with two on when the game was halted as lightning flashed. The rain sent fans scurrying for cover, and they booed as the grounds crew scrambled for the tarpaulins.

The 26-minute stoppage was the longest rain delay at SkyDome, which opened in 1989.

When the game resumed, Everett hit an RBI double into the corner in right field. Toronto’s Bobby Kielty gingerly fielded the ball on the wet warning track.

Paul Konerko followed with an RBI grounder, tying it at 2.

“He was pitching extremely well. He was on,” Chicago manager Jerry Manuel said of Escobar. “It slowed him down a little bit. The heavens opened up and we got the win.”

Toronto shortstop Mike Bordick (16) leaps over Chicago's Carl Everett to turn a double play. The White Sox beat the Blue Jays, 4-3 in 13 innings, Thursday in Toronto.

But Toronto manager Carlos Tosca wasn’t about to use the rain delay as an excuse, especially since Carlos Lee and Magglio Ordonez had singled just before the stoppage.

“They were in the middle of a momentum swing there,” Tosca said. “If anything, it should have been in our favor. He makes a good pitch to Everett, who ends up blooping it down the line.”

With the score tied at 2 in the 13th, Lee led off with a double off Tanyon Sturtze (6-5) before Thomas singled to center. Ordonez’s RBI double gave the White Sox a crucial insurance run.

Ordonez went 4-for-6, tying a career high in hits.

Chicago’s Damaso Marte, Tom Gordon (5-5) and Rick White combined for six innings of relief, holding Toronto scoreless until Vernon Wells hit his 27th homer with two out in the 13th.

Orioles 5, Yankees 3

New York — Baltimore sent Roger Clemens to his quickest exit in a year, with Jeff Conine and B.J. Surhoff hitting early home runs to back Sidney Ponson and lead the Orioles.

Clemens (9-7), in the final season of his 20-year career in the major leagues, lasted just four innings, gave up nine hits and left trailing 5-0.

Ponson (14-5) tied Toronto’s Roy Halladay and Atlanta’s Russ Ortiz for the major-league lead in victories, winning his fourth straight start since a June 30 loss to the Yankees. He had been 0-8 in 14 starts against the Yankees since Sept. 19, 1998.

Ponson, who is eligible for free agency after the season, could be dealt before the July 31 trade deadline. He took a shutout into the sixth inning before the Yankees got a pair of runs. He allowed six hits, struck out five and walked three.

Devil Rays 15, Red Sox 9

Boston — Damian Rolls hit a grand slam to highlight a seven-run fifth inning and the Tampa Bay got a team-record 21 hits.

Rolls’ first major-league slam helped him drive in a career-high five runs. Antonio Perez also homered and had a career-best five RBIs as Tampa Bay matched its highest-scoring game of the season. Victor Zambrano (7-5) won despite allowing four home runs in 62/3 innings. Ramiro Mendoza (3-4) took the loss.

Tigers 7, Indians 4

Cleveland — Craig Monroe homered as Detroit roughed up C.C. Sabathia and beat Cleveland to end a six-game losing streak. Sabathia (8-6) retired the first seven batters, but lost his command after the Tigers scored an unearned run on third baseman Casey Blake’s error in the third. Sabathia went 61/3 innings, allowing six runs, five earned, on nine hits and two walks. He has lost three straight after winning eight of nine decisions. Wellington native Nate Cornejo (5-8) scattered nine hits over 62/3 innings, giving up three runs. He had a season-high four strikeouts and walked none.

Angels 10, Rangers 6

Arlington, Texas — Kevin Appier beat Texas for the first time in over seven years and David Eckstein had four hits. Appier (7-6) had lost 10 straight decisions to Texas, and Thursday’s win was his first against the Rangers since May 23, 1996. He allowed two runs and four hits in six innings. Troy Percival got three outs for his 22nd save in 23 chances. Joaquin Benoit (5-5) struggled through 32/3 innings, giving up five runs and seven hits.

Athletics 3, Mariners 0

Seattle — Mark Mulder had a season-high 11 strikeouts in seven innings and Eric Chavez hit a solo homer as Oakland beat Seattle. Mulder (13-7) missed a career high by one strikeout. He was strong all night, allowing seven hits — all singles. Billy McMillon had a big two-run single as the A’s scored three times in the seventh. Chavez started it with a first-pitch homer off Gil Meche (10-7), who lost his fourth straight start. Keith Foulke came in with two outs in the eighth, recording his 25th save in 29 opportunities.