BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJORS : Scioscia’s Homer Helps in a Pinch

Pinch-hitter Mike Scioscia, the former Dodger veteran, hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning, lifting the Texas Rangers over the Boston Red Sox, 4-2, at Port Charlotte, Fla. Scioscia, a non-roster catcher bidding for a job as the backup to Ivan Rodriguez, homered against Joe Caruso.

Butch Davis led off the ninth with a single against Chris Howard and, one out later, Scioscia had his first home run of the spring.

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The Michael Jordan watch: Jordan was hitless in four at-bats, striking out once and hitting three grounders as a Chicago White Sox split squad lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-2. Jordan is now hitless in eight bats in his attempt to make the transition from the NBA to the major leagues. He fielded three fly balls cleanly in his second start of the exhibition season.

“I feel I have to do something better at the plate,” Jordan said. “It’s just a matter of taking it from batting practice to the games. I’ve been on base. The next thing is getting a hit.”

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John Kruk, Philadelphia Phillies first baseman, will be sidelined about two weeks because of an inflammation in his groin. Kruk, who suffered the injury last July when he was hit by a throw to first by reliever Mitch Williams, will be examined in Philadelphia today.

Kruk, an All-Star last season, said the injury caused him steady pain through the remainder of last season and throughout the off-season.

“I just tried to ignore it and hope it would go away,” Kruk said. “As I got down here (Clearwater, Fla.) and started running a lot . . . it got worse and worse.”