Canseco Takes Over Homer Lead

All eyes were on Frank Thomas and Jose Canseco at Comiskey Park on Monday. Neither disappointed, but only Thomas came away with the victory.

Canseco went four for four and hit two home runs to take sole possession of the major league lead, but it wasn’t enough as Thomas homered to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 20 games as the Chicago White Sox defeated the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 9-7 to extend their winning streak to four.

Canseco hit a solo shot in the fifth and added a three-run homer to give him 25, two more than Seattle’s Ken Griffey Jr. The second was part of a five-run ninth off Bill Simas to make it 9-7.

“This has been happening to us for two or three weeks,” Canseco said of the Devil Rays, who have lost 11 of their last 13 games. “The combination isn’t there right now.”

Bob Howry got the final two outs for his 11th save.

Thomas, who did not want to talk to the media after the game, hit a solo shot in the fourth off former teammate Wilson Alvarez, who had never lost to the White Sox in three previous starts.

New York 8, Texas 2--Chili Davis made the most of his return from an interleague vacation, hitting a home run and driving in four runs as the Yankees won at New York.

Davis was mostly a spectator last week with the Yankees playing without the designated hitter in National League parks.

Detroit 8, Seattle 7--Tony Clark doubled home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning and Gabe Kapler homered twice as the Tigers won at Detroit.

On a bizarre play, Ken Griffey Jr. started the top of the ninth with an infield single. After Butch Huskey struck out, Griffey took off for second. Umpire Al Clark first called Griffey safe, but then changed to an out call and a double play, drawing a heated argument along with a protest from Mariner Manager Lou Piniella.

Baltimore 7, Kansas City 1--Cal Ripken, coming off the best offensive game of his career, had two hits and drove in two runs as the Orioles won at home for their fifth consecutive victory.

Ripken went six for six with two home runs and six runs batted in Sunday in a 22-1 rout of Atlanta.

Boston 4, Minnesota 3--Darren Lewis and Jeff Frye hit consecutive home runs with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, rallying the Red Sox over the Twins.

Twin starter Brad Radke left after five innings because of a bruised left knee when he was hit by John Valentin’s line drive.

Around the League

Boston placed closer Tom Gordon on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained right elbow and recalled Jin Ho Cho, who started Monday. Gordon had an MRI exam, but the club didn’t release the results. . . . Detroit right-hander Seth Greisinger, on the disabled list since spring training, will undergo reconstructive surgery to repair a damaged ligament in his pitching elbow today and will miss the season. . . . Tampa Bay recalled outfielder Bubba Trammell from triple-A Durham and sent outfielder Terrell Lowery to the same team.