AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Evans May Be in Pain, But He Still Plays Like a Tiger Against Detroit

Just a week ago, the Boston Red Sox were concerned about 38-year-old outfielder Dwight Evans. He was rushed to Boston for tests to determine the cause of back problems.

Pain or no pain, Evans, as he has been for more than 18 seasons, was there when the season began.

In the first two victories over the Red Sox’s favorite opponent, the Detroit Tigers, Evans was three for eight, scoring a run and driving in three.

He was even better in the series finale at Fenway Park Wednesday. Evans hit a home run in the fifth inning and singled home the winning run in the 10th to give the Red Sox a sweep, 3-2.

It was the 11th consecutive win for the Red Sox over the Tigers since the middle of last June.

Last fall, Evans’ injury was diagnosed as a slipped disk and rest was prescribed. Although the symptoms are similar, doctors have ruled out a recurrence of the disk injury. However, he missed most of spring training.

“I’ve had very little time to do what I have to do to get ready,” Evans said. “I’m pulling all the tricks out of my bag.”

The three for five made him six for 14 and he has five RBIs. Evans is the only major leaguer who has hit at least 20 home runs in each of the last nine seasons.

“He’s a gamer,” said teammate Mike Greenwell, who was four for four. “He gives us 100% when he only has 90% to give.”

Tiger Manager Sparky Anderson has been walking Wade Boggs whenever possible. But leading off the 10th, Boggs singled. After a sacrifice, Greenwell was hit by a pitch and Ellis Burks popped out. Evans hit a grounder between third baseman Tony Phillips and the bag to win the game.

Minnesota 3, Oakland 0--While Frank Viola was doing his stuff for the Mets, two of the pitchers the Twins received for him enabled the Twins to salvage a win in the three games at Oakland.

Rookie right-hander Kevin Tapani pitched six strong innings and Rick Aguilera, the Twins’ new, reluctant stopper, pitched the ninth for the save.

Kent Hrbek hit a three-run home run off Mike Moore in the first inning for all the scoring.

Mike Norris, a 35-year-old right-hander returning from a series of drug and alcohol problems, pitched two scoreless innings of relief for the A’s. It was his first major league appearance since Sept. 25, 1983.

Kansas City 2, Baltimore 1--The Royals’ goal this season is to go into the ninth inning with a lead. They figure with Mark Davis heading their bullpen, they’ll win every time.

Davis, signed to a four-year, $13-million contract as a free agent, pitched a perfect ninth at Kansas City to pay his first dividend.

Gerald Perry and Kevin Seitzer singled home runs in the fifth inning to beat Jeff Ballard.

Texas 11, Toronto 5--Toronto fans must have known something. They stayed home in bunches and about 14,000 of them missed seeing the Rangers build a 10-run lead in the first two innings. There were 49,000 at the opener, only 35,031 for this one.

Pete Incaviglia homered and drove in five runs to lead the Rangers to an easy victory.

George Bell hit a grand slam for the Blue Jays in the third inning.

New York-Cleveland--Snow flurries halted play for almost an hour at Cleveland in the second inning and finally stopped it completely with the Indians leading, 2-1, in the bottom of the fourth.

The snow wiped out a home run by Cleveland’s Cory Snider.