Sosa Homers In Return To Chicago

Sammy Sosa returned to Chicago with _ what else? _ a home run. <br/><br/>Sosa tuned out the boos and showed Chicago what it's been missing the last few years, hitting a three-run homer that led the

Wednesday, April 18th 2007, 7:43 am

By: News On 6

Sammy Sosa returned to Chicago with _ what else? _ a home run.

Sosa tuned out the boos and showed Chicago what it's been missing the last few years, hitting a three-run homer that led the Texas Rangers over the White Sox 8-1 Tuesday night.

``I'm not going to be here and try to have a fight with the fans,'' the former Cubs star said after his first Chicago appearance since 2004. ``It's part of the game. Like I said before, it's going to happen, and if they feel like that, it's OK with me. I got to be focusing on what I'm going, go out there and give it the best I can.''

Sosa, who was booed in each at-bat, finished 2-for-4. His eighth-inning drive off Mike MacDougal was the 591st home run of his career.

``I came here and didn't know what to expect,'' he said. ``I've been out for a year. To have the opportunity to come here and have a good game, I'm very satisfied.''

In other AL games Tuesday night, it was: Minnesota 11, Seattle 2; Toronto 2, Boston 1; New York 10, Cleveland 3; Oakland 4, Los Angeles 1; Detroit 7, Kansas City 6; and Tampa Bay 6, Baltimore 4.

At Chicago, Brad Wilkerson and Ian Kinsler also homered for the Rangers to back Robinson Tejeda (2-1). Kinsler's homer was his seventh.

Tejeda allowed one run _ a fourth-inning homer by Jim Thome _ and three hits in seven innings with four walks and three strikeouts.

Jon Garland (0-1), an 18-game winner in each of the last two seasons, gave up five runs and five hits in seven innings and is winless in his first three starts. The White Sox have scored just two runs in their last three games.

Twins 11, Mariners 2

Torii Hunter broke open the game with a fifth-inning grand slam at Seattle, then left after bruising his left shoulder while trying to catch Jose Vidro's line drive in the sixth, an injury he said wasn't serious.

Jeff Weaver (0-2) allowed seven runs and 10 hits _ seven for extra bases _ in six innings. Still, his ERA dropped from 31.50 to 15.75.

Joe Mauer had three doubles and three RBIs, Jason Tyner had three hits _ including two doubles _ and Michael Cuddyer drove in three runs.

Ramon Ortiz (3-0) gave up two runs and eight hits in seven innings.

Blue Jays 2, Red Sox 1

Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-2) struck out 10 over six innings at Toronto but walked three batters in the fourth, including Gregg Zaun with the bases loaded after Lyle Overbay's tying single.

Gustavo Chacin (2-0) allowed one run and six hits in 6 2-3 innings, and Casey Janssen got three outs. Jason Frasor, taking over as closer while B.J. Ryan is sidelined by a sprained elbow, got four outs for his first save since Sept. 20, 2005, against Seattle.

Yankees 10, Indians 3

Called up from Double-A Trenton to fill a spot in New York's injury-depleted rotation, Chase Wright (1-0) allowed three runs and five hits in five innings at Yankee Stadium to win his major league debut.

Alex Rodriguez hit his major league-leading eighth home run, and Jorge Posada and Doug Mientkiewicz also connected in the second inning off Jake Westbrook (0-2), who gave up eight runs and eight hits in 1 2-3 innings.

Athletics 4, Angels 1

Bobby Crosby, who entered with a .167 average, broke a scoreless tie with a three-run homer in the fourth off Jered Weaver (0-1).

Chad Gaudin (1-0) allowed four hits in 7 2-3 innings at Oakland, including Maicer Izturis' eighth-inning RBI double.

Weaver, who came off the disabled list before the game after recovering from biceps tendinitis, allowed four runs _ three earned _ and four hits in six innings.

Tigers 7, Royals 6

Placido Polanco broke a 6-6 tie with a two-out single in the eighth off David Riske (0-2), and Detroit extended Kansas City's losing streak to six, dropping the Royals to 1-7 on the road.

Polanco also hit a solo home run and tripled, Magglio Ordonez had three hits and three RBIs and Marcus Thames homered. Wilfredo Ledezma (3-0) earned the win despite giving up two runs in 2 1-3 innings, and Todd Jones allowed one hit in the ninth for his seventh save.

Devil Rays 6, Orioles 4

Rocco Baldelli had a two-run single during a six-run fourth, and host Tampa Bay stopped Baltimore's four-game winning streak.

Steve Trachsel (0-1) remained winless in three starts with the Orioles, allowing six runs and six hits in 3 2-3 innings as his ERA rose from 2.63 to 5.19.

Tampa Bay starter Casey Fossum (1-1), gave up three runs and five hits in seven-plus innings. Al Reyes pitched the ninth for his fifth save.