Chicago ? The evidence was there from the start, when the first batter lunged at a pitch and struck out.

Javier Vazquez was in control. And the Kansas City Royals couldn’t stop him.

Vazquez took a perfect game into the sixth inning and won his fourth straight start in the Chicago White Sox’s 9-2 victory Saturday over the Royals.

“I can’t say it was my best stuff,” he said. “I’ve felt better at other times. The key is that my pitches were working. I was throwing strikes.”

Vazquez (4-1) kept the Royals off-balance, lunging at sharp curves. He allowed two runs on four hits, struck out six – all in the first five innings – and did not walk a batter.

Angel Berroa doubled to the wall in left on a 1-2 pitch leading off the sixth to end the perfect game and scored from third on a double-play grounder by Paul Bako that made it 6-1.

“Back in his Montreal days, I thought he was one of the top players in the National League,” said Kansas City’s Matt Stairs, who was 0-for-3. “You can tell that he’s back to the form that he (had) then.”

Chicago’s Jim Thome homered in his third straight game, connecting for a three-run shot in the fifth that made it 6-0. Slumping Brian Anderson homered leading off the third and had two hits in his first start since Tuesday.

Chicago White Sox's Jim Thome, right, celebrates with teammates Brian Anderson, left, and Tadahito Iguchi (15), of Japan, after hitting a three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, May 6, 2006, in Chicago.

Tadahito Iguchi had four hits for the third time in his career, extending his hitting streak to eight games, and A.J. Pierzynski had three hits and two RBIs as the White Sox won for the seventh time in nine games.

Royals starter Runelvys Hernandez (1-2) allowed six runs on nine hits in 42â3 innings, hitting trouble from the start.

“Today my command was a little off,” he said. “My breaking ball was a little up.”

The White Sox scored a run in the first when Scott Podsednik led off with a double down the right-field line and came around on Iguchi’s single.

Anderson, mired in a 1-for-22 skid his previous 10 games and batting just .141, hit the first pitch of the third inning out to left to make it 2-0. Ross Gload added a sacrifice fly in the fourth. After singles by Anderson and Iguchi in the fifth, Thome blew open the game when he connected on a 1-1 pitch with one out.

That was plenty for Vazquez, who pitched eight scoreless innings against Kansas City on April 19. He left this start after Esteban German’s RBI single in the eighth.

“We’ve known Javy for a long time,” said manager Ozzie Guillen, who coached in Montreal. “I think (general manager Ken Williams) loves him. And I love him too.”

Kansas City Royals' starting pitcher Runelvys Hernandez adjusts his cap as he walks back to the mound after giving up a three-run home run to Chicago White Sox's Jim Thome during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 6, 2006, in Chicago.

Notes: Royals OF Reggie Sanders was out of the lineup for the second straight game because of a tight left hamstring. “Reggie said today that he was feeling a little bit better,” manager Buddy Bell said. “He’s still going to be a few days.” … RHP Denny Bautista, on the 15-day DL because of a sore right pectoral muscle, would start Monday against Cleveland, Bell said. He replaces Joe Mays, whom the Royals asked to accept a demotion to Triple-A Omaha. … OF David DeJesus, on the 15-day DL since April 19 because of a strained left hamstring, had a setback while running Friday. “(He) tweaked the other hamstring or had a cramp, and he had to shut down his running,” Bell said.

Royal sadness

Can the Royals match the record futility of the 1962 Mets? Will Sluggerrr keep sobbing all season? Let’s keep track.

28-game record Win percentage Projected finish

2006 Royals 7-21 .250 41-121

28-game record Win percentage Finish

1962 Mets 9-19 .321 40-120