White Sox Done In By Former Teammate

For Wilson Alvarez, Sunday’s game was about getting the job done for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays--not getting personal satisfaction at the expense of the Chicago White Sox.

The $35-million cornerstone of the Devil Rays’ pitching staff bounced back neatly at St. Petersburg, Fla., from a disappointing opening-day performance, and the expansion team matched the best start for a first-year club through six games with a 5-0 victory over the White Sox.

Facing his former team for the first time, Alvarez (1-1) allowed only three hits before leaving the game in the seventh inning with a slight bruise on his left hip that is not believed to be serious.

“After my last game, I really needed a game like this. It’s not about beating the White Sox. It’s about winning because I’m here now,” Alvarez said.

In shutting down the White Sox for 6 2/3 innings, he atoned for a loss last Tuesday to Detroit in which he gave up six runs and nine hits in only 2 1/3 innings.

The White Sox traded Alvarez and Devil Ray reliever Roberto Hernandez to the San Francisco Giants last July, despite trailing Cleveland by only three games in the AL Central.

Minnesota 10, Kansas City 1--Eric Milton, the most promising of four prospects the Twins got when they traded Chuck Knoblauch to the Yankees in February, pitched six scoreless innings in his major league debut at Minneapolis.

Milton, a first-round pick by the Yankees in 1996, left with a 2-0 lead, allowing six singles and two walks while striking out one.

The Royals had at least one runner in every inning except the second against Milton. But only three of them made it as far as second base and the left-hander stranded all eight.

Orlando Merced drove in three runs. Pat Meares had three hits, including a two-run single in a seven-run eighth as the Twins avoided being swept at home by the Royals for the first time since late July 1994.

New York 9, Oakland 7--George Steinbrenner’s team became the last in the AL to win this season when Knoblauch and Derek Jeter drove in runs in the 10th inning at Oakland.

New York was in danger of starting a season 0-4 for the first time since 1973, Steinbrenner’s first year as the team’s owner. Although he didn’t make the trip West, Steinbrenner had criticized his team after the Yankees lost their season opener at Anaheim.

On Sunday, they held on for their first win of 1998 despite blowing a two-run lead in the ninth after reliever Mariano Rivera apparently strained his groin and left the game.

Baltimore 6, Detroit 3--The Orioles won their fifth consecutive game, getting a solid pitching performance from Mike Mussina and three RBIs from Rafael Palmeiro at Baltimore.

The Tigers lost their fifth in a row. They loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth, but Jesse Orosco earned his first save since Sept. 17, 1995, by striking out Tony Clark.

B.J. Surhoff had two hits and drove in a run for the Orioles, who outscored Detroit, 18-6, in their first three-game home sweep of the Tigers since June 1996.

Texas 6, Toronto 5--Rusty Greer doubled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Rangers overcame three Blue Jay homers at Toronto.

Shawn Green hit a three-run homer for Toronto, and Jose Canseco and Craig Grebeck had soloshots.

John Burkett (1-1) pitched 7 2/3 innings for Texas, leaving after Canseco’s second homer in two days.

John Wetteland, in his first appearance of the season, retired all four batters for a save.