AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Thomas Leads White Sox Over Yankees, 11-3

Perhaps the biggest mistake the New York Yankees made Tuesday night was pitching to Frank Thomas with a runner on base in the first inning.

Thomas hit the 100th homer of his career and Tim Raines homered from both sides of the plate, driving in four runs, as the first-place Chicago White Sox routed the New York Yankees 11-3. Chicago has won four straight games and maintained a 5 1/2-game lead over Texas in the AL West.

The Yankees entered the game trailing Toronto by one-half game in the AL East. The Blue Jays played a night game at Oakland.

Thomas gave the White Sox a 2-0 lead when he hit his 37th homer of the season after a single by Joey Cora in the first inning off rookie Sterling Hitchcock (1-1).

“I was surprised he gave me the pitches he gave me,” Thomas said. “He had real good stuff. He challenged a lot of hitters.”

Wilson Alvarez (10-8) gave up three runs and seven hits in 7 2/3 innings. Jose DeLeon got the last out in the eighth and Scott Radinsky pitched the ninth.

“He was throwing like he did in the first half of the season,” Manager Gene Lamont said of Alvarez. “He started 7-1 or something like that. He struggled a bit with his control but he has it back now. Tonight his curveball wasn’t quite as good as it could be.”

Texas 8, Boston 1--Juan Gonzalez took the major-league lead with his 40th homer and Kenny Rogers won his sixth straight start as the Rangers beat the Red Sox at Boston.

Rogers (14-7) allowed six hits in his third complete game and tied Ferguson Jenkins’ team record, set in August 1974, of six wins in a month. He is 10-2 since June 17 and is the American League’s winningest left-hander since July 6 with nine victories.

Roger Clemens (10-11) lost his first start since breaking a four-game losing streak with a combined shutout Friday night. He allowed six runs and nine hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Gonzalez became the second American Leaguer in 23 years to hit at least 40 in consecutive seasons. Detroit’s Cecil Fielder did it in 1990 and 1991.

Kansas City 6, Milwaukee 5--Gary Gaetti and Hubie Brooks each hit two-run homers as the Royals beat the Brewers at Milwaukee.

The Royals remained six games behind first-place Chicago in the AL West heading into September.

Kansas City snapped a 5-5 tie on George Brett’s sacrifice fly in the seventh inning. Jose Lind walked to open the inning, moved to third on Brian McRae’s one-out single and scored on Brett’s fly ball to left.

Gaetti’s eighth home run of the season, a two-run shot in the sixth inning off starter Angel Miranda (3-4), tied it 5-5.

“We won, that’s the bottom line,” Gaetti said. “That’s how I feel, really. I hit a home run, but I struck out three times. It’s nice, but I don’t feel like that’s a real successful night.”

Greg Cadaret (1-0) pitched three innings in relief for the victory. Stan Belinda worked the eighth and Jeff Montgomery pitched the ninth for his league-leading 41st save.

“It’s a big win for us,” Montgomery said. “Not only the fact that the White Sox won, but we’ve been playing kind of flat. We were up early, gave up the lead, but we battled back and were able to come up with the big run late in the game to go on top.”

Seattle 5, Detroit 4--Dave Valle and Dave Magadan delivered RBI singles in the eighth inning as the Mariners rallied from a four-run deficit to beat the Tigers at Seattle.

Bret Boone opened the Seattle eighth with a double and Valle got his third hit of the game with a sliding Boone scoring on a close play at the plate.

Valle went to second on the throw and moved to third on a wild pitch by Mike Henneman (3-3). Magadan singled to score Valle with the go-ahead run.

Jeff Nelson (5-3), who pitched a scoreless eighth, got the victory.