Belle Silent After Shaky Chicago Debut

Albert Belle’s Chicago debut with the White Sox was anything but a smash.

Belle went one for five with two strikeouts, committed an error and then refused to talk with reporters after the Tigers beat the White Sox, 8-7, in 10 innings Friday at Chicago.

The White Sox said Thursday at a workout that Belle, who had tried to be more media friendly during spring training, would give an interview after his first game in Comiskey Park.

But an announcement was made shortly after the game that Belle would not be available, so the team’s $55-million man sat on the clubhouse couch spooning in yogurt and watching television.

“I don’t think Albert was pressing,” Chicago starter James Baldwin said after the White Sox came back from a 7-1 deficit to tie the score with six runs in the eighth, only to lose on Melvin Nieves’ double in the top of the 10th.

“It’s just one of those things. He’ll get his and so will Frank [Thomas],” Baldwin said.

Thomas went 0 for 4.

“We will get production out of the middle of the lineup, but they’re not going to hit every single day,” Manager Terry Bevington said.

Detroit’s Bobby Higginson doubled with one out in the 10th off loser Al Levine, and Nieves followed with a double off Mike Bertotti.

Kansas City 2, Minnesota 1--Tim Belcher took a shutout into the eighth inning to outduel Bob Tewksbury as the visiting Royals handed the Twins their first loss.

Belcher allowed seven hits over 7 2/3 innings. The Twins had opened with a three-game sweep of Detroit.

Tom Goodwin went two for four with a run and stolen base for the Royals.

Toronto 6, Milwaukee 2--Juan Guzman, making his first regular-season start since an appendectomy ended his 1996 season, allowed two hits in seven innings and Joe Carter homered to lead the Blue Jays at Toronto.

Guzman won the American League ERA title last year with a 2.93 mark after his season ended Sept. 7 when he needed emergency surgery in New York. The right-hander settled down after a 20-pitch first inning, striking out eight and walking three.

Tim Crabtree pitched the final 1 1/3 innings for his first save. John Jaha went two for three and drove in both Milwaukee runs.

Baltimore 5, Texas 4--Brady Anderson, playing with a cracked rib, went four for five with two RBIs, and the Orioles capitalized on two misplays by shortstop Benji Gil in the seventh inning at Arlington, Texas.

Texas was leading, 4-2, in the seventh when Jeffrey Hammonds beat out an infield single off losing reliever Danny Patterson when Gil failed to charge the ball.

Gil, who played in only five games last year after injuring his back during spring training, then booted Chris Hoiles’ potential double-play ball for an error and Jeff Reboulet reached on a bunt to load the bases.

Anderson followed with his fourth single, driving in two runs. Reboulet then scored the go-ahead run on Mike Bordick’s double-play grounder.

Boston 10, Seattle 5--Darren Bragg homered twice to lead the Red Sox at Seattle.

Bob Wolcott started in place of Randy Johnson, whose eagerly awaited first start of 1997 was pushed back one day when his 1-year-old son was hospitalized.

Bragg hit a two-run homer in the fourth and a solo homer in the ninth. Tim Naehring, Wil Cordero and Mike Stanley also homered for the Red Sox, and Nomar Garciaparra went four for five.

Ken Griffey Jr. hit his third home run of the season for Seattle and Edgar Martinez connected for a three-run shot.

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BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

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Player Team Performance Result Brady Anderson Baltimore 4 for 5, 2 RBI with cracked rib Win Tom Goodwin Kansas City 2 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 stolen base Win

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PITCHING

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Player Team Performance Result Tim Belcher Kansas City 7 2/3 innings, 7 hits Win Juan Guzman Toronto 7 innings, 2 hits Win

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