Thome gets back into swing of things

Jim Thome is 41 years old, meaning he is about twice the age of some of the Florida pitchers he's facing during his rehab assignment with Class A Advanced Clearwater.

On Monday, the slugger proved age is just a number by putting up some numbers of his own.

Thome was 3-for-4 with two doubles, a walk, three RBIs and three runs scored as a designated hitter to help the Threshers stomp the Palm Beach Cardinals, 15-2.

In his first at-bat, the five-time All-Star, who is rehabbing a lower back strain that put him on the Phillies disabled list back on April 29, grounded out to second in the second inning, but he would not be retired for the remainder of the contest.

An inning later, the Threshers cleanup hitter for the night lined a double to right field for his first extra-base hit in the Minor Leagues since May 16, 2007. After being issued a free pass in the fifth, the future Hall of Famer stroked a two-run two-bagger in the sixth. An RBI single in the seventh capped Thome's production at the plate and gave Clearwater its 15th and final run of the evening.

The first baseman, who signed a one-year deal with the Phillies last offseason, is 5-for-10 through his first three rehab games for the Threshers. He was just 2-for-18 (.111) without any extra-base hits or RBIs and 10 strikeouts through 12 games for Philadelphia before going down with the back injury.

Shortstop Michael Martinez, also in the midst of a rehab assignment for a right-foot fracture, was 3-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored Monday. That effort represented the first run Martinez had driven in through four rehab appearances as well as the first time he recorded multiple hits in a game.

Albert Cartwright missed the cycle by a triple and added four RBIs and three runs as Clearwater's ninth hitter in the batting order.

Starter Austin Wright (6-0) allowed a run on six hits and two walks through seven innings.