Burkett Is a National Asset for Rangers

John Burkett was right at home against the San Diego Padres.

Burkett, who pitched in the National League for San Francisco and Florida from 1990-96, threw eight shutout innings to match his longest outing of the season as the Texas Rangers defeated the Padres, 3-0, on Saturday night at Arlington, Texas.

“We know the type of pitcher he is,” Texas Manager Johnny Oates said. “Give him 30-something starts and he’s going to give you a chance to win a lot of games.”

Burkett (4-5) allowed five hits, struck out four and walked one to win for the first time since May 10. He worked out of a bases-loaded two-out jam in the seventh, striking out Quilvio Veras with a fastball to end the Padres’ best scoring chance of the game.

Burkett began the season as the ace of the Rangers staff, but his ERA soared to 7.75 in the first month.

“The last three or four starts have been a lot better, but there’s still a long way to go,” said Burkett, who retired 11 in a row from the first through the fifth. “My control’s improved a lot lately. My slider is 10 times better.

Chicago Cubs 7, Chicago White Sox 6--Pinch-hitter Derrick White hit his first homer in five years and Sammy Sosa hit his ninth in eight games, leading the Cubs to their eighth consecutive victory and a second victory in a row over the White Sox at Wrigley Field.

The victory gave the Cubs a 3-2 lead in interleague play with the White Sox after losing two of three in last season’s inaugural series at Comiskey Park.

A crowd of 38,232, up about 200 from Friday’s game but still some 600 shy of a sellout, turned out with fans from both sides of town.

New York Mets 1, Boston 0--Tim Wakefield allowed one hit in eight innings, but a disputed balk call cost him the game as the Mets, behind a four-hitter by Bobby Jones and John Franco, won at Boston.

There were only two hits after the second inning, both in the ninth inning. Wakefield’s knuckler had baffled the Mets, whose only hit off him was Edgardo Alfonzo’s clean single that dropped in front of left fielder Troy O’Leary in the second inning.

Wakefield gave up only one walk, to Brian McRae starting the sixth inning. That began the chain of events that led to the Mets’ second victory in a row.

Bernard Gilkey followed the walk by striking out, but McRae stole second and took third on Olerud’s groundout to first baseman Mo Vaughn.

With Butch Huskey at the plate, McRae took several steps toward home plate, drawing the attention of Wakefield, who apparently had started his windup and then stopped. Home-plate umpire Terry Craft called a balk, allowing McRae to score.

Philadelphia 10, Toronto 6--Leadoff hitter Doug Glanville hit two home runs and Rico Brogna homered to snap a seventh-inning tie at Toronto.

Glanville, who leads the National League with 27 multi-hit games, hit a solo homer in the third and a two-run shot in the seventh for his first career multi-homer game.

Brogna’s 10th homer broke a 5-5 tie as the Phillies scored five runs in the seventh to win their fifth consecutive road game.

Cleveland 10, Cincinnati 1--The Indians evened their intrastate series in front of a rare Cincinnati sellout crowd as Jaret Wright held the Reds to two hits over eight innings and Sandy Alomar drove in three runs.

The crowd of 51,796 represented the Reds’ first non-opening day sellout since Aug. 6, 1994. Tens of thousands of Indians fans turned Cinergy Field into Jacobs Field South as Cleveland got a milestone win for Mike Hargrove.

Cleveland’s ninth victory in 12 games improved Hargrove’s managing record to 571-477, moving him ahead of Al Lopez for third place on the Indians’ career wins list. He trails only Lou Boudreau (728) and Tris Speaker (616).

Montreal 7, Tampa Bay 5--Rolando Arrojo was set to become the majors’ first nine-game winner when the Expos scored three runs in the eighth inning for a comeback victory at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Arrojo had retired 15 batters in a row following Brad Fullmer’s two-out double in the third when the Expos rallied.

Fullmer and Rondell White had RBI singles, and Mark Grudzielanek hit an run-scoring groundout in the eighth as the Expos won their fourth in a row.

Vladimir Guerrero hit a three-run homer and Chris Widger homered in the ninth for Montreal.

Detroit 9, Milwaukee 3--Bryce Florie pitched seven strong innings against his former team at Milwaukee as the Tigers end a losing streak at six games.

Florie (4-1), making his second start of the season and first against the team that traded him at the end of last year, allowed eight hits and two runs.

Tony Clark had a homer and two doubles and Billy Ripken drove in three runs for Detroit.

Scott Karl (5-3), gave up 11 hits and five runs in 4 2/3 innings.

Houston 6, Kansas City 0--Jose Lima pitched a five-hitter for his first career shutout and Craig Biggio hit a two-run homer at Houston.

Lima (7-2) walked one, struck out seven and got his first career complete game in his 134th start. The right-hander had never gone beyond 7 2/3 innings.

Pittsburgh 4, Minnesota 3--Jason Kendall hit a bases-loaded single in the 12th inning and the Pirates rallied from three runs down at Pittsburgh.

The Pirates trailed 3-0 until tying it in the seventh on rookie Aramis Ramirez’s RBI triple, only his second major league hit, and Turner Ward’s two-run pinch-hit homer.