BOSTON (AP) – David Ortiz went 3-for-4, stringing together seven consecutive hits over two days, and Tim Wakefield cruised into the seventh inning on Saturday night to lead the Boston Red Sox to their sixth straight victory, 7-4 over the Chicago White Sox.

Tony Graffanino also had three hits for Boston, which has won 13 consecutive home games and 14 of its last 16 overall. The White Sox have the best record in baseball but need a win on Sunday to avoid their second sweep of the season.

Wakefield (12-9) took a shutout into the seventh before giving up consecutive homers to Paul Konerko and Aaron Rowand. The knuckleballer allowed two runs and seven hits, striking out five in 6 2-3 innings for his fourth consecutive win.

Jon Garland (16-6), who became the AL’s first 16-game winner on Sunday, allowed five runs, nine hits and two walks in 5 1-3 innings.

Ortiz went 4-for-5 with six RBIs on Friday night, getting a double, a single and two homers in his last four at-bats. On Saturday, he singled in his first two at-bats and, after an intentional walk, he doubled for his seventh hit in a row.

Luis Vizcaino struck out Ortiz in the eighth to end the streak.

Roberto Petagine homered to lead off the second inning – his first major league home run since 1998. He played the intervening six seasons in Japan. Edgar Renteria, Ortiz and Manny Ramirez hit consecutive singles and all scored in the third to make it 4-0.

Graffanino doubled and scored on Renteria’s single to make it 5-0 in the sixth before Konerko hit his 30th homer of the season and the 200th of his career in the seventh. Rowand followed to make it 5-2.

Bill Mueller and Graffanino doubled and scored in the seventh to make it 7-2. Chicago threatened in the eighth, scoring an unearned run off Mike Remlinger before Curt Schilling came on and struck out Rowand to end the inning.

The game was delayed for 40 minutes in the sixth inning during a storm with lightning that forced the evacuation of the Green Monster seats and right field roof boxes.

When it resumed, Ortiz lofted a high fly toward the Fisk Pole that Pablo Ozuna watched as it landed in fair territory.

for a double.

Notes: Garland was trying to become the first White Sox pitcher since Jack McDowell in 1993 to win 17 of his first 23 starts. … For the second time in two appearances with the Red Sox, Remlinger failed to get an out. … White Sox OF Scott Podsednik sat out with a left leg injury. He is also expected to miss Sunday’s game before the team decides whether to put him on the disabled list. … On Aug. 13, 1988, the Red Sox won their record 24th consecutive home game. … Boston CF Johnny Damon was scratched from the lineup with a sore left hamstring. He left Friday night’s game in the ninth inning.

AP-ES-08-13-05 2246EDT