Alvarez Hurries White Sox to a Victory

L.A. Times Archives

June 25, 1997 12 AM PT

From Associated Press

Wilson Alvarez, who once dawdled on the mound, has picked up his pace--and some success doing it.

Alvarez extended his scoreless streak to 17 innings, combining with two relievers on a five-hitter Tuesday night for the White Sox, who defeated Kansas City, 4-0, at Chicago.

Alvarez (6-6) gave up four hits in eight innings. He has given up only one run in the last 32 2/3 innings, stretched over four starts. Alvarez is 3-0 in those games.

“Give me the ball and go,” he said of his new philosophy, fostered in Cincinnati on June 13 during an interleague game when umpire Tom Hallion told him to pitch more quickly if he wanted to get better calls.

“I’ve had good results and it is working for me. I’m more aggressive.”

The quicker tempo has kept his teammates on their toes. The White Sox made several big defensive plays Tuesday.

“The difference tonight was the defense,” Alvarez said. “They got me out of trouble.”

But the 91-degree temperature and 112 pitches exhausted Alvarez, who told pitching coach Mike Pazik that eight innings was enough.

Harold Baines had a two-run double and Ozzie Guillen a two-run single for Chicago, which won its fourth game in a row.

Alvarez struck out five and walked two. Matt Karchner got two outs in the ninth inning and Roberto Hernandez got the final out for his 18th save.

New York 12, Detroit 9--Tino Martinez connected for his second home run and fifth hit of the game, breaking a ninth-inning tie and sending the Yankees to a victory at Detroit.

New York, which led, 9-3, in the sixth inning, went ahead, 10-9, when Martinez hit his 25th homer, against Mike Myers (0-4).

Former Tiger outfielder Chad Curtis, who had five RBIs, added a two-run homer off Doug Brocail with one out. Brocail hit the next batter, Derek Jeter, in the hand with a 1-and-1 pitch, and the benches emptied.

Order was restored without any punches, and Brocail was ejected by umpire Jim McKean.

Pinch-hitter Melvin Nieves hit a three-run homer to lead a four-run Tiger seventh inning that tied the score, 9-9.

Graeme Lloyd (1-1) got the final out in the eighth inning for the win. Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth for his 24th save.

Cleveland 10, Minnesota 5--Jim Thome hit his third homer in two days and 11th of June, Sandy Alomar extended his hitting streak to 23 games and Jaret Wright won in his major league debut for the Indians at Cleveland.

Alomar, batting fifth for the first time since 1992, doubled in two runs with the bases loaded in the sixth inning.

Matt Williams and Brian Giles added homers for the Indians, who backed Wright, their No. 1 draft choice in 1994, with their 12th three-homer game.

Wright (1-0), a 21-year-old right-hander, gave up three home runs but received a standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 42,902 when he left in the sixth inning.

His father, left-hander Clyde Wright, also made his major league debut against the Twins, pitching a four-hitter for the Angels in an 8-1 victory on June 15, 1966.

Boston 9, Toronto 6--Nomar Garciaparra had four hits, including a home run, and scored four runs for the Red Sox, who won at Toronto for their fourth victory in a row.

Darren Bragg homered and drove in three runs for Boston. Scott Hatteberg singled twice during the Red Sox’s five-run second inning.

Joe Carter homered and Ed Sprague and Orlando Merced each had three hits for the Blue Jays, who lost their fourth game in a row and fell a season-high five games below .500.

Baltimore 6, Milwaukee 2--Shawn Boskie scattered four hits over five solid innings and Pete Incaviglia homered for the first time since May 4 for the Orioles, who won at Milwaukee.

Boskie (4-3) won for the first time as a starter this season, retiring 15 of 19 batters after giving up consecutive doubles to start the bottom of the first inning. He had been 0-2 with a 10.76 earned-run average in four starts this year.

Arthur Rhodes relieved Boskie after Jeff Cirillo led off the sixth inning with a double, and recorded his first save of the season.

AL Notes

The Cleveland Indians placed outfielder David Justice and pitcher Chad Ogea on the 15-day disabled list, Justice because of a hyper-extended left elbow suffered during a practice swing June 15, Ogea because of a strained right elbow. Right-handed pitcher Jaret Wright and outfielder Trenidad Hubbard were recalled from Buffalo to fill roster spots.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

Player: Tino Martinez

Team: New York

Performance: 5 for 5, 2 HRs

Team’s Result: Win

Player: N. Garciaparra

Team: Boston

Performance: 4 for 6, 4 runs, HR

Team’s Result: Win

Player: Mark McGwire