AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : White Sox (and Their Fans) Close Comiskey in Style

With the Chicago White Sox concluding 80 years at Comiskey Park, officials and police were bracing for souvenir-seeking fans to go on a rampage Sunday after the White Sox game against the Seattle Mariners.

But the fans helped the White Sox close the oldest ballpark in baseball in style as the White Sox defeated the Mariners, 2-1.

“Everything went as we hoped,” Capt. Dominic Rizzi said as the 42,849 fans cleared the stadium after the game. “There wasn’t a single problem.”

Chuck Comiskey, grandson of the man who built the park, threw out the ceremonial first ball, along with Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. Later, the capacity crowd of 42,849 sung “Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Hey, Hey”--the White Sox theme song for several years.

And, finally, the White Sox won in the stadium that opened on July 1, 1910, with a 2-0 loss to the St. Louis Browns. In between, Shoeless Joe Jackson and the Black Sox scandal of 1919, the first All-Star game in 1933, the Go-Go Sox of 1959 and Bill Veeck and his exploding scoreboard flavored Comiskey and made it one of baseball’s most beloved parks.

“The game didn’t mean that much in the standings,” said Dan Pasqua, who capped a two-run sixth inning with a triple. “But it was the last game and the crowd was special. We didn’t want to end it with a bad taste in our mouths.”

Bobby Thigpen made the finale a memorable one, extending his major league record with his 57th save. Jack McDowell (14-9) was the winner and Rich DeLucia (1-2) took the loss.

Trailing 1-0, Chicago rallied for two runs in the sixth. Lance Johnson led off with a triple and scored the tying run on Frank Thomas’ single. Pasqua then hit a drive that skipped for a triple.

“The gods of baseball were on their side today,” Seattle Manager Jim Lefebvre said. “It was meant to be.”

After the game, the White Sox paraded around the field, saluting their fans. The White Sox drew 2,002,359 this season, the third time they drew more than two million.

The stadium will be torn down and turned into a parking lot. Next year, the White Sox move across the street into a gleaming new stadium--also named Comiskey Park.

Oakland 4, Texas 3--Pinch-hitters Terry Steinbach, Willie Randolph and Jose Canseco each drove in runs in the eighth inning at Arlington, Tex., as the Athletics set a club record for victories in September by defeating Nolan Ryan.

The defending World Series champions went 20-8 in September. Their previous record had been 19 wins in 1988.

Ryan (13-9) pitched 7 1/3 innings and gave up three hits. He struck out 11, raising his major league-leading total to 232, and walked four.

Reliever Steve Chitren picked up his first major league victory.

Detroit 1, Minnesota 0--Walt Terrell (6-4) pitched 8 2/3 innings and Jerry Don Gleaton earned his 12th save at Detroit as Cecil Fielder continued his quest for his 50th home run of the season.

Fielder singled in four at-bats for the Tigers, who have three games left--all at Yankee Stadium.

Mark Guthrie (7-9) went the distance for the Twins, giving up five hits.

Detroit scored the only run in the second inning when Mike Heath grounded into a double play, scoring Gary Ward from third.

Baltimore 6-3, Cleveland 3-7--Candy Maldonado drove in three runs with three hits, including his 22nd home run, as the Indians managed a split in their doubleheader at Cleveland.

The Orioles won the first game as Bob Milacki (5-8) gave up two hits in seven shutout innings and Gregg Olson got the final out for his 36th save, extending his own team record. Cal Ripken hit his 21st home run for the Orioles.

New York 7, Milwaukee 2--Don Mattingly and Jesse Barfield each drove in three runs to lead the Yankees at Milwaukee.