American League Roundup : Calderon Gives Chicago a Healthy Start in 7-4 Win Over A’s

Despite injuries and surgery, Ivan Calderon has come a long way since he was “the player to be named later” in 1986 when the Chicago White Sox traded catcher Scott Bradley to Seattle.

The 27-year-old Puerto Rican outfielder has spent part of almost every season on the disabled list. But when he’s injury-free, he is a home run hitter.

This season, Calderon is coming back from shoulder surgery that took him out of the second half of last season.

Obviously, the surgery was a success. Calderon hit the first grand slam of his career and his second home run of the season Saturday at Oakland as the White Sox defeated the Athletics, 7-4.

Calderon’s home run came off Rick Honeycutt in the sixth inning, but the situation was set up by Mike Moore, the free-agent right-hander, who was signed for $3.95 million over three years after losing 34 games the last two seasons for Seattle.

Melido Perez was given a 7-0 lead, but needed help in the sixth when Oakland scored twice. The A’s added two more on Dave Parker’s second homer in the eighth but were stopped short when White Sox reliever Bobby Thigpen got slugger Mark McGwire on a ground ball with two on and two out in the ninth.

It was the second consecutive loss to Chicago for the A’s, who seemed unbeatable when they swept the three-game series with Seattle to open the season.

Their pitching was strong, their power, even with power hitter Jose Canseco out with an injury, was awesome. In the last two games, the pitching has been mediocre and the hitters have done nothing until they were down, 7-0.

It may be only temporary, but the White Sox, in their first season under former Dodger and former Angel catcher Jeff Torborg, are off to a 4-1 start and have won three in a row.

In the first two games, Calderon was 0 for 8. But, he hit a home run Thursday night to help beat the Angels, had three hits Friday, including a double and delivered the big blast in this one.

“My shoulder hurt last year and I still had 14 home runs,” Calderon told the Associated Press. “Now, it doesn’t hurt. I lost 35 pounds and I’m feeling great.”

He loves to face the Athletics. Eight of his 32 career home runs and 25 of his 80 runs batted in have been against Oakland.

“It seems every time I come here I hit home runs,” he said. “I see the ball real good here.”

Kansas City 2, Boston 1--The Red Sox are winless in all four starts this season, despite an excellent performance by Roger Clemens at Kansas City.

Clemens, in his second start, gave up six hits in eight innings, struck out eight and did not walk a batter. But when he departed after eight innings, the game was tied, 1-1.

In the 10th inning, Kansas City’s Jim Eisenreich singled in the go-ahead run. The Royals are 4-1, with all of the games being decided by a single run.

The Royals’ other run was Bo Jackson’s first home run of the season in the seventh inning off Clemens, who is 9-1 lifetime against the Royals.

Mark Gubicza was a worthy opponent for Clemens, going seven innings and giving up a run. Luis Aquino pitched an inning of relief to win it.

Milwaukee 5, Detroit 2--Dave Engle, who has battled to make the final roster spot for some major league team for the last decade, has done it again.

The journeyman utility player with a career .264 average barely made the Brewers’ roster, beating out five others for the last spot.

A non-roster player when spring training started, Engle, 32, may be around for a while. Engle, who plays first base against left-handers, hit a home run and two singles in three at-bats at Detroit to lead the Brewers’ attack.

“I was offered a chance to be a player-coach for the Montreal Class AA team,” the former USC slugger said. “Instead, I made it as a non-roster player for the third year in a row. I really want one more crack at playing in the World Series.”

Cleveland 11, New York 1--It seems strange to think of the Yankees as hapless, but that’s what they are at this early stage of the season.

Felix Fermin tied his career-high for a season when he drove in four runs, and the Indians handed the Yankees their fourth consecutive loss.

In their four defeats the Yankees have been outscored, 34-5. It certainly isn’t typical Yankee baseball.

The only highlight for the Yankees was the first AL home run for former Dodger, Steve Sax.

Sax hit his home run off Greg Swindell, who gave up five other hits in seven innings and became the first pitcher to win two games this season.

Fermin singled in two runs twice. In 68 at-bats for Pittsburgh last season, he also drove in four runs.

Texas 5, Toronto 4--Jamie Moyer made an auspicious debut with the Rangers at Arlington, Tex.

Moyer, obtained from the Cubs in a trade during the off-season, gave up four hits and struck out a career-high 13 batters to get the victory.

The Blue Jays, who are 2-3, have played five one-run games.

Jesse Barfield hit his second home run of the season.

Minnesota 6, Baltimore 5--Even when they lose, the Orioles give their opponents a tough battle these days.

Dan Gladden’s run-scoring double snapped a 5-5 tie at Minneapolis and give the Twins their second win in a row over the Orioles, who are 2-2 after losing their first 21 a year ago.

The Orioles scored five runs in the second inning to take a 5-1 lead, but couldn’t hold it.

Gary Gaetti hit a home run in the second to run his consecutive hit streak to six, then Kent Hrbek brought the Twins even with a three-run homer in the third.