NAMES AND NUMBERS

The Chicago White Sox were averaging 3 hours 20 minutes a game even before Wednesday’s 19-inning marathon with the Milwaukee Brewers that lasted 6 hours 5 minutes and pushed the average to 3:30. The two-game series with the Brewers produced 29 runs, 55 stranded runners, 858 pitches and complaints from former National Leaguer Tim Raines about the time of games in the American League.

“I think pitchers go to three and two a lot more here,” he said. “They’re always nibbling. You very seldom have a guy come right at you. It might be oh and two, and five years later it’s three and two.”

* That 19-inning game may not have been the most unusual of the week. The Detroit Tigers’ 13-7 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday included a grand slam by Rob Deer, an inside-the-park homer by Brian McRae, a homer by Mickey Tettleton that hit the top of the fence and bounced over, and a daring dash by Tiger rookie Milt Cuyler, who tagged and scored from second on a fly to center.

* April turned to May, and that’s all Ryne Sandberg needed. The Chicago Cub second baseman was two for three in the first game of the new month after having hit .202 in April, when he has a major league average of .228 with 16 total homers and 70 runs batted in. His May figures: .316, 32 and 115.

* Rob Dibble had five saves and a remarkable total of 21 strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings before a weekend series with the St. Louis Cardinals, but fellow Cincinnati reliever Randy Myers is unhappy with his suddenly irregular status.

Said Myers, 0-2 with no saves, seven walks and five earned runs in his 8 1/3 innings: “I have to get work, that’s the basis of my consistency. I pitch on the corners. A guy like Dibble throws 98 m.p.h. He can throw it by guys, but when you pitch on the black and lose something off your velocity and control, it’s a lot tougher.”

* This is why the San Diego Padres have been scouting Jack Howell of the Angels and Craig Worthington of the Baltimore Orioles: Their third basemen had produced four RBIs through Thursday and their triple-A third baseman, Scott Coolbaugh, had 10 errors in 19 games.

* New York Yankee third basemen--essentially Mike Blowers, Rudy Velarde and Torey Lovullo--have also turned the hot corner cold. They were batting a cumulative .107 through Thursday with one home run and one RBI, none in their last 54 at-bats.

* Von Hayes and John Kruk of the Philadelphia Phillies are possible acquisitions if Kansas City decides to move a pitcher for offensive help. The Royals were averaging 3.5 runs through Thursday and didn’t expect George Brett back regularly for three weeks. Mark Gubicza’s imminent return from a rehab assignment after rotator cuff surgery may influence the reluctant Royals to deal versatile and valuable Tom Gordon.

* The Houston Astros were counting on veterans Mike Scott and Jim Deshaies to provide stability to their purged pitching staff and inexperienced team, but through a combined 30 innings they had allowed 22 earned runs, 43 hits and 17 walks.

* Scott Erickson, the Minnesota Twins’ blossoming right-hander from the University of Arizona, has been involved in four shutouts in five decisions. Erickson (3-2) has pitched two shutouts and been the victim of two.

* Those predominantly young Cardinals, a team in transition, are showing resiliency. Last year they were 4-71 in games in which they trailed after seven innings and 2-79 in games in which they trailed after eight. This year they have already won four games in which they trailed after seven and three in which they trailed after eight.

“At this point they surprise me only if they don’t come back,” Manager Joe Torre said.

But shortstop Ozzie Smith cautioned: “Most have been at home. You have to keep it in perspective. When we go on the road we’ll be tested.”

The Cardinals began an eight-game trip Friday in Cincinnati.