Royals rung up again
Belle's 49th HR leads White Sox past K.C. 7-6
Posted: Monday September 28, 1998 01:05 AM
KANSAS CITY, Missouri (AP) -- If not for Sammy Sosa,
Chicago would be abuzz over Albert Belle.
Overshadowed by the epic home run chase between Mark McGwire
and the Cubs' Sosa, Belle drew little notice while stringing together one
of the most productive seasons in Chicago White Sox
history.
He capped it with his 49th home run and three RBIs Sunday in a 7-6
victory over Kansas City.
Belle, who went 3-for-4 to finish with 200 hits, set team records in
homers, RBIs (152), doubles (48), total bases (399) and extra-base hits
(99).
"Are you talking today, Albert?" he was asked after the game.
"No," he said.
Belle had 31 homers after the All-Star break.
"He had a tremendous year," Chicago manager Jerry Manuel said. "He has to
be considered as an MVP candidate. If you look at the offensive categories
that they put out every day and he's at the top of most of them, he's got
to be considered as an MVP."
Robin
Ventura also homered and drove in three runs as the White Sox finished
80-82, second in the AL Central and behind their 80-81 record last year.
The Royals' 72-89 mark includes the worst home record in team history,
29-51. They lost seven of their last eight but still improved four games
over their last-place finish in the AL Central a year ago.
"I've pondered the home record and lost sleep and I still can't touch
it," said Tony Muser, who completed his first full season as Royals'
manager. "I know it has to do with focus. They just don't jump into
different bodies and become different players when they're at home. We are
going to address it in the off-season."
Muser said he would give the Royals a C-minus for the season.
"We didn't finish in last place. But we could have done much better than
we did," he said.
If the White Sox had played the first half as well as the second, they'd
have contended for the division title. After going 35-51 in the first half,
the White Sox outperformed everybody in the AL but the Yankees and Orioles,
going 45-31.
James
Baldwin (13-6) gave up three runs and three hits through five innings
and won for the sixth time in seven decisions, striking out six and walking
six. Bob Howry got five outs for his ninth save.
Johnny
Damon and Jose Offerman
both homered in the first for the Royals.
After Belle singled, Ventura tied it in the second with his 21st home
run. Carlos Febles' RBI single gave Kansas City a 3-2 lead in the second,
then the White Sox got three in the third on RBI singles by Craig Wilson,
Belle and Ventura, whose 741 RBIs surpassed Nellie Fox for seventh all-time
in White Sox history.
Tim Belcher
(14-14) allowed seven runs and eight hits in five-plus innings.
Notes: Damon became the fourth man in Royals' history to appear in
every game in a non-strike season. ... He led off five games with home
runs. ... The game was delayed 43 minutes by rain in the fourth. ...
Offerman finished with career-highs in home runs (7), runs (102), hits
(191), triples (a league-leading 13), RBIs (66), walks (89) and stolen
bases (45). ... Matt
Whisenant's 70 appearances were the most ever by a Royals left-hander.
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