Ventura Back With Best Foot Forward

Months of grueling rehabilitation made Robin Ventura physically ready to play major league baseball again.

One swing made all the work worthwhile.

A little more than four months after breaking and grotesquely dislocating his right ankle during spring training, Ventura returned in dramatic fashion Thursday by doubling home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning of Chicago’s 2-1 victory over the Texas Rangers.

Ventura was 0 for 3 when he came to bat against Ken Hill with a runner on second and two out in the eighth.

The former all-star third baseman hit the first pitch to the wall in left-center, driving in Dave Martinez and sending an enthusiastic crowd of 25,899 at Comiskey Park into a tizzy.

“Just to be able to play again, when you get something taken away from you that you love to do, and to be able to come back and do it before they expect you to do it, is special,” Ventura said.

Ventura received a loud standing ovation when he came to bat in the first inning and waved to the crowd before stepping into the box.

He got a pat on the back from third base umpire Rich Garcia when he took his position to start the game, and during the game, a plane flew over Comiskey Park with a banner that read: “Welcome Back Robin. Guillen Family.”

White Sox shortstop Ozzie Guillen, who once went through a lengthy rehabilitation, is among Ventura’s best friends.

Before the game, Ventura said he did not think that his March 21 injury would finish him.

“I never reflected that it was the end, even though it possibly could have been,” he said.

Seattle 11, Cleveland 1--Randy Johnson struck out 11 in seven innings and Dan Wilson and Russ Davis each drove in three runs, leading the Mariners past the Indians at Cleveland.

The Mariners’ Ken Griffey Jr. went two for three with two walks, but hasn’t hit a home run in his last 14 games.

Johnson (14-2) gave up one run, seven hits and one walk. He won for the 39th time in his last 43 regular-season decisions.

Johnson reached double digits in strikeouts for the 11th time this season and the 79th time in his career. He leads the majors with 209 strikeouts.

David Justice, the only left-handed batter in Cleveland’s starting lineup, struck out all three times against Johnson.

Tony Fernandez went three for three with a double against Johnson, but the Cleveland second baseman also dropped a potential double-play toss, setting up Seattle’s three-run fifth.

Toronto 5, Milwaukee 4--Carlos Delgado’s club-record third grand slam of the season and Toronto’s second in as many games powered the Blue Jays over the Brewers at Toronto.

The Blue Jays set the stage for Delgado when Otis Nixon led off the first with a bunt single, Orlando Merced reached on an error by second baseman Fernando Vina and Joe Carter, who hit a grand slam in Toronto’s 8-0 victory Wednesday night, singled.

Delgado followed with his 22nd homer, sending Jose Mercedes’ 0-and-1 pitch to right-center to snap an 0-for-14 streak and put the Blue Jays ahead 4-1.

Shawn Green’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the fifth proved to be the difference when Dave Nilsson cut the lead to 5-4 in the sixth with his 14th homer.

Kansas City 5, Minnesota 3--Yamil Benitez hit a three-run homer in his first AL at-bat and Ricky Bones won as a starter for the first time since last Aug. 3.

Kansas City, playing on the road, won consecutive games for the first time since June 26-27 against Milwaukee. Before Thursday, the Royals had lost 18 of 20.

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BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

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Player Team Performance Team’s Result N. Garciaparra Boston 3 for 4, double, triple, homer Win Carlos Delgado Toronto 2 for 4, grand slam Win Jose Valentin Milwaukee 3 for 4, homer, 2 runs Loss

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PITCHING

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Player Team Performance Team’s Result R. Johnson Seattle 7 innings, 7 hits, 1 run, 11 strikeouts Win Jeff Suppan Boston 7 2/3 shutout innings, 4 hits, 6 strikeouts Win Doug Drabek Chicago 7 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 6 strikeouts Win

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