He started something

CHICAGO -- The first bad thing to happen to the Red Sox yesterday was when Matt Clement hit White Sox leadoff hitter Scott Podsednik with a pitch. It got worse in a 14-2 thrashing by Chicago.

Podsednik stole third base in the five-run first and scored the first run on a fielder's choice. The speedy left fielder also singled in the second and blasted a three-run homer in the sixth. Not a bad day's work.

''The big thing was to get runners on base and drive them in," said Podsednik, whose homer was his first this year, and his first since Sept. 30, 2004, when he was with Milwaukee. ''We got a whole team effort and Jose Contreras pitched a great game and kept down their hitters. It's a nice way to start, so now we have to keep this up."

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen figured things were going his way when Podsednik went yard.

''Well, you know, in the season, we hit 200 home runs. That's a lot for the team playing 'small ball,' " he said. ''Matt Clement is a pretty good sinkerballer and when Podsednik hit a home run, it was like, 'Wow.' "

Before the game, Guillen expressed his preference to grab an early lead ''because when we score first, my team plays better, we start pitching better, and we definitely play better defense. Over the year, most of the time when we score first, we keep the lead."

The White Sox were 72-27 this season when they scored first. They also outscored their opponents, 121-68, in the first inning.

That's better

The White Sox won their first postseason game since Game 4 of the 1993 ALCS, 7-4 over Toronto, snapping a five-game losing streak. It was their first postseason win at home since Game 1 of the 1959 World Series vs. the Dodgers, ending a nine-game home playoff losing streak . . . The White Sox' 14 runs were seven more than their entire offensive output in the 2000 ALDS against Seattle. The run total and the five home runs were franchise records for a playoff game. The homers set an ALDS record (the Cardinals also hit five during Game 1 of their 2004 NLDS vs. Los Angeles) . . . Paul Konerko collected the first postseason hit of his career, a solo homer in the third. He had gone 0 for 9 in the playoffs . . . The White Sox tied a Division Series record with three hit batsmen (Podsednik, Jermaine Dye, and A.J. Pierzynski). The Red Sox also hit three Indians in Game 2 in 1998.

Toss from Thomas

White Sox slugger Frank Thomas, who is out for the season with a fractured bone in his ankle, threw out the first pitch. Thomas, who has 448 career homers, is at risk of not returning next season because he has a $10 million option that likely will be bought out for $3.5 million, though the White Sox could bring him back at a reduced salary . . . Guillen wanted to clarify that he did not make a choke sign to the Indians Sunday at Jacobs Field, as Cleveland was losing its third straight game. Guillen said he was having fun with the Indians' mascot, Slider. ''The thing is, I was playing around with fans next to me all game long," he said, ''and we're back and forth, back and forth, and the mascot was joking around with me almost the whole game. And all of a sudden the mascot does the sign, and all of a sudden I put my hands like that, and all of a sudden everybody in the nation thought I was telling the fans to choke. I respect this game and respect the Cleveland Indians."

Holding fast to job

Just as Jonathan Papelbon needs to be a force in the setup role if the Red Sox are to succeed in the postseason, the White Sox must get similar production from 24-year-old righthander Bobby Jenks as their closer.

Jenks was given the job by Guillen in September because of veteran Dustin Hermanson's balky back. Jenks, who came up to Chicago July 5 from Birmingham (Double A), responded with six saves in eight opportunities.

Jenks can throw up to 100 miles per hour but has to have his curveball working to be effective; otherwise, hitters will know what's coming.

A major league scout said, ''If he doesn't get his curveball over, either [David] Ortiz or Manny [Ramirez] may have a game or two in this series where they could win with a walkoff homer. As hard as he throws, Ortiz and Ramirez can catch up to him."

Ortiz already did that this season.

''This kid has really impressed me," Guillen said yesterday at his pregame news conference. ''I saw this kid in spring training and I really like the way he throws. The best thing about this kid is he's not afraid."