Elster, Gross Help Rangers Remain Perfect

No blemishes so far for the Texas Rangers. They just keep winning.

“I’m just going to enjoy it and not try to figure it out,” Manager Johnny Oates said after Tuesday’s 3-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox gave the Rangers a 7-0 start, the best in club history.

“It’s one of those things about a winning streak. It seems like everything goes right. You get all the good bounces, all the good calls. It’s a great feeling,” said shortstop Kevin Elster, who drove in the winning run and also made a slick fielding play to stop a Chicago rally.

For Elster, playing is satisfying in itself. He missed most of three years because of shoulder problems and was released twice last season.

The last time Elster was in Comiskey Park, in 1993, he was an actor with a role in the movie “Little Big League.”

Kevin Gross pitched six strong innings as the Rangers spoiled the Sox’s home opener before a crowd of 34,750 on a sunny but chilly day at Comiskey Park.

The 1987 Milwaukee Brewers were the last American League team to start 7-0 when they set a league record by winning their first 13 games. The Atlanta Braves in 1994 were the last major league team to start 7-0.

The White Sox, meanwhile, are 2-5 and all of their losses have been by one run.

“I think we’re pressing a little bit,” said Frank Thomas, who doubled in Chicago’s runs but grounded into a double play to end the game.

Gross (2-0) gave up six hits and two runs. He has won his first two starts for the first time since 1983 when he made his debut with the Phillies.

Boston 9, Minnesota 1--Tom Gordon pitched a complete game and new leadoff hitter Mike Greenwell drove in three runs as the Red Sox defeated the Twins in the chilly makeup of Monday’s snowed-out home opener in Boston.

Kevin Mitchell’s two-run single highlighted a four-run third, and American League MVP Mo Vaughn, who had 39 homers last year, hit a two-run shot in the seventh for his first this season.

Gordon, obtained as a free agent from Kansas City in the off-season, gave up seven hits, struck out eight and walked one.

Detroit 10, Seattle 9--Cecil Fielder’s grand slam keyed a six-run fourth inning and the Tigers held on for a victory over the Mariners in Detroit’s home opener.

Alan Trammell, starting his 20th season with the Tigers, and Travis Fryman also homered for Detroit. Ricky Jordan and Alex Rodriguez hit home runs for Seattle, which also collected six doubles and two triples.

Greg Keagle (2-0) earned the victory with 3 2/3 innings of five-hit relief. Brian Williams pitched the ninth for the save.

Paul Menhart (0-1), who walked the only three batters he faced, took the loss.

New York 7, Kansas City 3--On an afternoon better suited for snowballs than baseballs, the Yankees won their home opener in blizzard-like conditions.

The snow started before winner Andy Pettitte’s first pitch and lasted until John Wetteland’s last toss. It began as flakes, then turned to flurries and eventually, whipped by winds that never quit blowing, became a full-fledged, howling storm.

Jim Leyritz went three for three with a pair of doubles and a walk as the Yankees ended a three-game losing streak. He drove in two runs, including a run-scoring single during a three-run fifth that made the score, 4-1. All three runs that inning were unearned because of an error by shortstop Jose Offerman.

Milwaukee 10, Oakland 4--Ben McDonald dominated the Athletics in his home debut and the Brewers hit three homers in a victory.

McDonald, who signed a two-year, $6-million free-agent contract with the Brewers in January after seven seasons in Baltimore, struck out eight and scattered five hits with no walks in six innings.

After giving up three hits in six innings in his first start last week against the Angels, McDonald (1-0) extended his shutout streak to 10 innings before Ernie Young drove in a run with two outs in the fifth.

He struck out the side in the first and had eight strikeouts by the fifth inning--two short of his career high set Sept. 1, 1993, against the Angels.

Todd Van Poppel (0-1) was roughed up for eight hits and seven earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. He surrendered two-run homers to Turner Ward in the second and Kevin Seitzer in the third.