AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Woes for White Sox Get Worse in Boston

As if Chicago didn’t have enough problems. The White Sox got to Fenway Park in Boston on Saturday to find that two-time American League most valuable player Frank Thomas had cut his left foot on a couch in his hotel room and could not run well enough to play first base.

In the fifth inning, they found that starting pitcher Wilson Alvarez had pulled a groin muscle on a pitch to Jose Canseco.

And at game’s end, they found themselves beaten, 8-0. Chicago has lost its first four games by a 39-11 total, allowing 41 hits, walking 33 and committing 12 errors.

“We’re going out looking for something bad to happen, and it’s happening,” Manager Gene Lamont said. “. . . Right now we are doing things that make you lose.”

The White Sox made three errors Saturday, including a misplay by Chris Sabo on Boston’s first batter. Sabo was playing first base in place of Thomas, who was the designated hitter and had one of five Chicago hits.

Erik Hanson, one of three free agents added to the rotation this spring, pitched five strong innings as Boston stayed undefeated. It was the second shutout for the Red Sox, who had only three last season.

New York 10, Kansas City 3--Jon Nunnally was so nervous before his first major league at-bat that he forgot his helmet. He was so calm after getting it that he became the 70th man in baseball history to hit a home run in his first major league plate appearance.

Nunnally hit his homer off Melido Perez, but that was about as good as it got for the Royals, who lost in the rain at Kansas City, where for the second game in a row, free tickets went unwanted.

The Yankees took advantage of a struggling Tom Gordon a day after he had signed a one-year, $3.3-million contract, and led, 5-1, after four innings. Wade Boggs had three RBIs, Luis Polonia had three hits, Jim Leyritz homered and Perez ended a personal five-game losing streak to the Royals.

Baltimore 13, Minnesota 7--Harold Baines hit a three-run homer at Minneapolis, leading Kevin Brown and the Orioles to their first victory of the season.

Brady Anderson tripled twice and scored four runs for Baltimore.

Brown (1-0), signed as a free agent after spending six-plus seasons with Texas, gave up five runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out six.

Oakland 8, Milwaukee 2--Steve Ontiveros pitched six strong innings at Milwaukee to help the Athletics win for the first time this season and send the Brewers to their first loss.

It was the A’s first 0-3 start since 1987.

Ontiveros (1-0), the AL earned-run average leader last season, allowed only two unearned runs and four hits. He walked two and struck out two.

Texas 6, Cleveland 5--Rusty Greer’s single to center field scored Otis Nixon from second with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Rangers a victory at Arlington, Tex.

Orel Hershiser, making his first start for Cleveland after 11 years with the Dodgers, gave up five runs and six hits in five innings. He walked three.

Seattle 11, Detroit 1--Ken Griffey Jr. hit an RBI double and his second home run of the season and Alex Diaz had a three-run homer in a seven-run seventh inning for the Mariners, who won at home.

Chad Curtis led off the game with a homer off Seattle starter Dave Fleming, but that was the Tigers’ high-water mark. Fleming gave up only two more hits in going five innings. Jim Converse pitched the last four innings for his first major league save.