AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Gonzalez, Palmer Power Rangers

Rick Sutcliffe had trouble with his control and the Texas Rangers’ Juan Gonzalez and Dean Palmer had no trouble getting Texas off to a fast start.

Gonzalez and Palmer homered twice, leading the Rangers to a 7-4 victory over the Orioles Monday at Baltimore.

“I got the ball up in the strike zone the whole game,” said Sutcliffe, who gave up nine hits, including three home runs. “I was constantly up. There are some clubs that you get away with high fastballs, but this wasn’t one of them.”

The Rangers’ home run barrage came after President Clinton threw out the ceremonial opening pitch.

“It was nice, hitting two home runs in front of him,” Palmer said.

Texas won in Kevin Kennedy’s first game as a big league manager and spoiled the second season opener in Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The game drew 46,145, enabling the Orioles to tie a major league record with their 60th consecutive sellout.

Gonzalez, who led the majors with 43 home runs last season, hit his first of 1993 in the third inning. Palmer followed with his first in the same inning.

Craig Lefferts, who spent the last part of the 1992 season with Baltimore, got the victory by giving up four runs and seven hits in six innings. He struck out seven.

Tom Henke, acquired as a free agent, pitched the ninth inning for his first save with the Rangers.

Boston 3, Kansas City 1--Roger Clemens gave up six hits in eight innings and Mike Greenwell drove in all of Boston’s runs with a triple at Kansas City.

Greenwell, whose 1992 season ended in June with knee and elbow problems, seemed prouder of his assist on a play at the plate than his bases-clearing triple against Kevin Appier in the fifth inning.

“I made the throw, we hit the cut-off man and got the guy at home plate,” said the left-fielder. “That was a big key to the game.”

Brent Mayne was thrown out on a good throw from Greenwell to shortstop Luis Rivera, who made a perfect relay toss to catcher Tony Pena.

Clemens struck out five and walked three in eight innings.

Oakland 9, Detroit 4--Rookie designated hitter Troy Neel’s two-run home run keyed a four-run fifth inning and Eric Fox added a grand slam in the eighth to power the Athletics at at Oakland.

Bob Welch pitched five innings, allowing two runs on four hits, to earn his 200th career victory. Dennis Eckersley got the save, pitching out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth.