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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- So far, the Texas Rangers are coming out
way ahead on the trade that sent Juan Gonzalez to Detroit.
A day after Gabe Kapler starred in the opener, Frank Catalanotto
sparked a seven-run rally with a game-tying homer and Francisco
Cordero picked up the win as Texas beat the Chicago White Sox 12-8
Tuesday night.
|  | | The Rangers' Rafael Palmeiro watches his three-run homer off Kip Wells in the first inning. |
Meanwhile, in Oakland, Gonzalez followed an 0-for-4 debut as a
Tiger by announcing he'd miss at least two games with a hamstring
injury.
So far, Texas fans are asking, "Juan who?"
"We hope they do," said Catalanotto, who went 2-for-4. "It's
great that we can contribute. Hopefully we can continue to
contribute and show the trade is really going to pay off, because I
think it is."
By scoring 22 runs in their first two games, the Rangers have
shown there's plenty of pop left in their lineup even without
Gonzalez, the Texas record holder in homers, RBIs and runs.
Rafael Palmeiro got it started with a three-run homer into the
upper deck in right field off Kip Wells. Texas starter Rick Helling
couldn't hold it, though, allowing four runs in the fourth.
Wells was knocked out in the fifth on an RBI single by Ruben
Mateo that closed Texas to 5-4. An RBI single by Frank Thomas in
the sixth gave the White Sox another two-run cushion.
Cordero allowed Chicago's fifth and sixth runs, but when he came
into the dugout for the bottom of the sixth, manager Johnny Oates
came to him with a message.
"He said, `You're going to win this game,' " Cordero said as
Mateo handed him a congratulatory bottle of champagne.
Catalanotto made Oates' words come true with a homer off loser
Bill Simas to tie the game at 6. Rusty Greer put Texas ahead with a
bloop RBI double into left, then scored on a chopper up the middle
by Palmeiro.
David Segui's RBI groundout with one out and the bases loaded
made it 9-6. Kapler appeared to have ended the rally with a roller
to third base, but Paul Konerko's throw to first was so wide not
even 6-foot-5 Frank Thomas could get a glove on it, allowing two
more runs to score.
Kapler, who on Monday homered in his first two at-bats and drove
in three runs in a 10-4 victory, went 3-for-5 with a double and a
stolen base. He's hitting .667 and has been on base in eight of his
nine at-bats as a Ranger.
"I've said all along I'm not going to fill Juan Gonzalez's
shoes, but I also said I've felt I'm going to do some special
things," Kapler said.
The best news for Texas is that Kapler, Catalanotto and Cordero
weren't even the most-prized players in the nine-player deal with
Detroit. That's Justin Thompson, who is on the disabled list.
Although the White Sox allowed two more runs Tuesday than
Monday, they were in the game a lot more. They trailed 10-1 in the
opener before scoring three in the ninth. This time, they overcame
an early deficit to lead for several innings.
Walks were the big problem -- 10 of them, with six turning into
runs starting with two in the first inning. Two errors also led to
three runs.
"I think we're going to be able to do things offensively, but
as pitching staff we have to keep the ball in the ballpark,"
Chicago manager Jerry Manuel said. "Walking guys, then hitting it
out, it's a tough deal."
Chicago got great production from the middle of its lineup as
Magglio Ordonez and Konerko had three hits each and Chris Singleton
and Carlos Lee each had two. Lee homered and drove in three runs
and Singleton had two RBIs.
Game notes
Wells tied his career-best with six strikeouts, set against
Texas last September. ... Helling, who led the majors with 41
homers allowed last season, got four of his 10 outs on long fly
balls, two reaching the warning track. ... Ivan Rodriguez drew a
full-count walk for the second straight game, despite his vow
Monday to walk even less than the 24 walks he had last season. ... Chris Singleton seemed to have stolen second base on Ivan
Rodriguez, but it didn't count because Carlos Lee interfered with
Rodriguez for the last out of the second inning. After swinging and
missing strike two, Lee's follow-through caught the back of
Rodriguez's right shoulder. ... The Rangers got the benefit of the
doubt on a close play in the bottom of the inning as C Mike Johnson's throw beat Kapler to second, but umpire Paul Emmel said the tag missed.
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