MINNEAPOLIS » Jim Thome slapped hands with both base coaches about as hard as he hit the winning home run. With childlike enthusiasm, he chucked his helmet so high the home plate umpire had to backpedal to avoid it.

By giving the Minnesota Twins a big victory over the Chicago White Sox, Thome’s 581st career homer was as satisfying as any of those before it.

Thome’s two-run shot in the bottom of the 10th inning — against the team that decided not to bring him back this season — sent the Twins to a 7-6 win over the White Sox last night to stretch their AL Central lead to four games.

"We brought Thome in here for a reason, and that’s one of ’em," said Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire, who recalled Thome’s declaration on the bench that he was going to come through with a clutch hit.

"We were just having fun," Thome said.

Yes, even with his 40th birthday beckoning later this month, Thome is still enjoying this game like a rookie.

"That never gets old," Thome said, adding: "Tomorrow’s a new day, but for a little bit here you cherish that moment."

After Delmon Young’s leadoff single against Matt Thornton (3-4), Thome smashed an 0-1 fastball and sent it sailing an estimated 445 feet over the right-field bleachers to put his new team and the fans at sold-out Target Field into a frenzy. He got the obligatory head-slapping at home plate and shaving-cream pie during the postgame interview.

"Any time you play your ex-team, you obviously want to do well," Thome said.

Alexei Ramirez hit the tying home run in the ninth inning and the go-ahead RBI single in the 10th, as Twins relievers Matt Capps and Jon Rauch gave up three hits each in the last two innings. Ron Mahay (1-1) was the winner.

Paul Konerko, who earlier became the second player in the league to reach 30 homers this season, grounded into a double play after the White Sox loaded the bases in the ninth following Ramirez’s homer.

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen insisted before the game the Twins don’t have a mental edge over his team, but they’re on some impressive runs against the Sox: 20-6 overall and 12-4 at home.

How will the Sox overcome the latest devastating loss? They’ve blown five games since the All-Star break with a lead in the eighth inning or later.

"Have a couple of drinks and come back tomorrow and fight," Guillen said.

The Twins are 23-7 in their last 30 games, and the White Sox are 15-16 in their last 31. The teams have just five more meetings this year.

"I will take that matchup again," Guillen said.

Thornton would too.

"The only thing that stings is the fact that our offense battled all night and we couldn’t pull it out," he said. "That’s the only thing that hurts for me. It doesn’t matter who hit the home run."