BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Raines Pours On the Power to Lead White Sox to Victory

As Tim Raines trotted to the dugout after his third home run of the game, Frank Thomas vowed to hit a homer just to make sure Raines didn’t get too cocky.

“I told him I’ve got to hit a homer the last time up or else he would talk all day,” said Thomas, who backed up his promise two batters later as the Chicago White Sox routed the Boston Red Sox, 12-1, Monday at Boston.

Raines hit solo homers leading off the first and third innings and a two-run drive in the eighth. He also walked, singled and reached on an error in the ninth. Raines scored five runs and drove in four.

It was the first three-homer game of Raines’ career. All three were hit to right field, helped by a 12-m.p.h. wind.

The power display by the White Sox, who also got a three-run triple from Joey Cora, overshadowed Wilson Alvarez taking a no-hit bid into the sixth inning and winning his 11th consecutive decision.

Alvarez (3-0) hasn’t lost since last Aug. 11. He won his final seven decisions last season, defeated Toronto in the playoffs and has given up only five earned runs in three starts this season.

Kansas City 11, Detroit 1--Gary Gaetti singled to highlight a six-run first inning and later hit his first homer of the season at Detroit.

Tom Gordon (1-1) pitched the Royals to their fifth consecutive victory. The Tigers have lost four of five.

Kansas City combined five singles, one walk and an error in the opening inning. Gaetti’s two-run single made it 4-0 and chased John Doherty (1-2) with one out. Gaetti hit a solo homer to the opposite field in the seventh off Joe Boever.

Atlanta 7, St. Louis 1--Ryan Klesko, Fred McGriff and David Justice hit consecutive home runs in the first inning at Atlanta as the Braves won their sixth game in a row.

The Braves hit three consecutive homers in the opening inning for the second time in four days. McGriff, Terry Pendleton and Tony Tarasco did it Friday during a 19-5 rout in Chicago.

Steve Avery (1-0) pitched six strong innings. The left-hander gave up two hits, one run, walked three and struck out four.

The Braves quickly got to Rick Sutcliffe (1-1). Deion Sanders drew a leadoff walk and, after Jeff Blauser struck out, Klesko hit his fifth homer of the year, a 417-foot shot to center.

McGriff followed with his fourth of the season, a 420-foot drive to right-center, and then Justice cleared the fence in right with a 411-foot shot.

San Francisco 2, Montreal 1--Barry Bonds tied the game with a home run in the ninth inning, then stole two bases and scored the winning run in the 11th to give the Giants the home victory.

Bonds hit his fifth homer of the season, and second in two days, with one out in the ninth against reliever Jeff Shaw.

In the 11th, Bonds drew a one-out walk from Tim Scott (0-1) and stole second. After Todd Benzinger was walked intentionally, Bonds stole third. Pinch-hitter Mark Carreon followed with a single for his first hit in five at-bats this season.

San Diego 6, New York 3--Derek Bell homered twice and drove in a career-high five runs at San Diego.

Jeff Kent hit his seventh home run in six games for the Mets, a two-run shot in the eighth that tied it at 3. He leads the majors with eight homers and 21 runs batted in.

Bell put the Padres ahead with a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth off Jonathan Hurst (0-1).

Bell also hit a two-run homer that capped a three-run sixth. He has four home runs this season, and two multi-homer games in his career.

Florida 5, Colorado 3--Jeff Conine’s two-run double at Denver capped a three-run rally in the ninth inning against Colorado closer Darren Holmes.

The loss ended Colorado’s four-game winning streak. Holmes (0-2), who relieved to start the ninth, has blown three of four save chances.