By Patrick O'Connell
MLB.com
 

Kansas City 6 12 0 White Sox 7 10 1

WP: Dan Wright (1-0) LP: Chris George (0-2) SV: Keith Foulke (25)

HR: Jose Canseco (7, 8), Royce Clayton (6), Carlos Beltran (14)

CHICAGO -- Jose Canseco is still able to carry a team -- and keep a pregame promise.
The former American League Most Valuable player slugged a pair of home runs and drove in five runs in the Chicago White Sox 7-6 victory over the Kansas City Royals before 15,620 fans. While Canseco passed Hall of Famers Johnny Bench for 57th on the all-time RBI and Carl Yastrzemski for 22nd on the all-time home run lists with his first round tripper, most importantly, he kept a promise he made to four special children before the game.
On Wednesday, the White Sox (52-53) celebrated 'Cancer Survivor Night' with 450 cancer survivors and their families in attendance at Comiskey Park. Among the group was four guests of the Chicago organization that were on the field prior to the game -- four guests in whom Canseco befriended immediately.
"I met four kids who are recovering from cancer before the game, signed some autographs and spoke to them a little bit," Canseco said with a smile. "I told them that hopefully I could hit one for you, but just in case I didn't, to stick around and watch me hit some out during batting practice."
Not only did Canseco keep his promise, but he gave them an unexpected, additional gift -- a two-run laser beam over the right-center field fence in his next at-bat for his second homer of the game.
"Hopefully they don't forget it," said Canseco, who has 36 multi-homer games in his career. "If it was coincidence or luck, who knows? I am happy for them and happy for the team."
When told of Canseco's promise to the children, Ray Durham was in awe.
"If I said that and went out there, I would have gone 0-for 4, or 0-for-5," said Durham, who left the game prior to the fourth inning with a mild strain of his lower left hamstring. "That is pretty impressive to say that. It is hard enough just to get hits, but to go out and hit home runs for them, that is absolutely incredible.
"That had to mean a lot (to the kids)," he said. "Jose made fans for life."
Along with the four youngsters, Canseco's offensive heroics also most likely made rookie right-handed starter Danny Wright a fan for life.
Wright (1-0), who was making his Major League start, Wednesday, survived a rough first inning in his home debut. The 23-year-old hurler allowed three runs on four hits in the first frame, but settled down to yield just one run on three in his final four innings.
"It is outstanding," said Wright, who picked up his first Major League victory. "I don't have words for it right now. I have wanted this my whole life."
The White Sox second-round draft choice in the 1999 draft walked three and struck out three.
"I was just trying to throw the ball over the plate," said Wright, who had 25 friends and family make the trip up from Arkansas. "I was pretty nervous. I don't know when (the nerves) quit. Hopefully, the more times I go out there, the lesser they get."
White Sox Manager Jerry Manuel was happy to see his starter earn his first win.
"I thought for the most part he got through a Major League game and got a win," he said. "He struggled at times, but that can be expected in your first start. He showed some good stuff tonight and I am sure he feels good with his first win. After all, it is the hardest win to get."
Keith Foulke, who gave up the game-winning run Tuesday, rebounded to work his way out of an inherited jam in the eighth inning and toss a scoreless ninth to earn his 25th save.
Mike Sweeney's two-run double and Joe Randa's sacrifice fly gave the Royals (42-65) and early 3-0 lead on the White Sox in the first inning.
"Late in the game we had some great at-bats," Sweeney said. "Mark Quinn swung the bat exceptionally well without any luck. We had a great at-bat from Dee Brown late in the game (ninth). From the seventh inning on, we had great at-bats but we just didn't have anything to show for it.
"Tuesday night, that was the story for the White Sox," he said. "They hit a lot of balls hard. (White Sox first base coach) Gary Pettis looked over at me Tuesday night and said, 'Man, you must have 20 people out there on defense.' Tonight, that was the case for us. We hit some balls hard but had no luck."
Canseco erased the lead with a towering three-run homer that dropped into the first row of the left-field stands off Chris George (0-2) in the first. The White Sox designated hitter, who ranks 22nd on the all-time home run list with 454 home runs, clubbed his second homer of the game in the third.
Royce Clayton hit a solo home run in the fourth and later scored on Aaron Rowand's RBI single to left field in the sixth.
"I'm just lucky enough to be healthy...lucky enough to be in the lineup...lucky enough to be on a team after what happened in Spring Training," Canseco said. "I have the White Sox to thank for the opportunity they gave me.
"Right now my swing feels pretty good," he said. "I'm healthy and when I make good contact with the ball, it is going out."
Manuel has also noticed his slugger's success at the plate.
"We saw some glimpses of what he could do earlier, especially against Baltimore," Manuel said. "To see him hit a ball out of right center like he did tonight was quite impressive.
"He's been exactly what (White Sox general manager Ken Williams) got him for -- a presence in the lineup."

KANSAS CITY (6) VS CHI WHITE SOX (7) - FINAL

Kansas City	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Febles, 2b	5	1	3	0	0	0	0	.224
N. Perez, SS	4	0	0	0	1	2	3	.138
Beltran, cf	5	2	2	1	0	1	5	.273
M.Sweeney,1b	3	2	2	2	2	0	0	.313
Ibanez, dh	2	0	1	0	3	0	1	.290
Randa, 3b	4	0	1	1	0	1	4	.249
D. Brown, lf	4	1	1	1	0	0	4	.266
Quinn, rf	5	0	1	0	0	1	2	.271
Zaun, c	5	0	1	1	0	0	3	.227
Totals	37	6	12	6	6	5	22	---

BATTING: 2B - Mi Sweeney 2 (39, D Wright, Biddle); D Brown (10,
D Wright); Zaun (2, D Wright). HR - Beltran (14, 8th inning off
Glover 0 on, 2 out). SF - Randa, D Brown. RBI - Mi Sweeney 2
(75), Randa (58), Zaun (3), D Brown (28), Beltran (54). 2-out
RBI - Zaun, Beltran. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - D
Brown 1, Beltran 3, Zaun 1, Randa 1. Team LOB - 12.

BASE RUNNING: SB - Febles (3, 2nd base off D Wright/S Alomar);
Beltran (14, 2nd base off D Wright/S Alomar).

FIELDING: DP: 2 (Randa-Febles, Randa-Febles-Mi Sweeney).

Chicago	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Durham, 2b	2	1	1	0	0	0	2	.263
Graffanino,2b	3	0	1	0	0	2	1	.253
Rowand, cf-rf	4	1	2	1	0	1	1	.326
Lee, lf	3	1	1	0	1	0	4	.292
Ordonez, rf	3	0	0	0	0	1	3	.293
Singleton, cf	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.271
Canseco, dh	4	2	2	5	0	2	2	.292
Konerko, 1b	4	0	1	0	0	0	1	.272
Perry, 3b	3	0	0	0	1	0	1	.270
S. Alomar, c	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	.243
Clayton, ss	2	2	1	1	2	0	1	.230
Totals	32	7	10	7	4	6	16	---

BATTING: 2B - Durham (28, George); Konerko (20, George). HR -
Canseco 2 (8, 1st inning off George 2 on, 2 out, 3rd inning off
George 1 on, 1 out); R Clayton (6, 4th inning off B Stein 0 on,
1 out). RBI - Canseco 5 (20), R Clayton (33), Rowand (7). 2-out
RBI - Canseco 3, Rowand. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out
- H Perry 1, Ca Lee 1, Graffanino 1. GIDP - Durham, Konerko.
Team LOB - 6.

FIELDING: E - M Ordonez (3, throw).

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
KC	3	0	0	1	0	0	1	1	0	6	12	0
Chicago	3	0	2	1	0	1	0	0	X	7	10	1

Kansas City	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
George (L, 0-2)	3	6	5	5	2	1	2	9.00
B. Stein	4	4	2	2	1	4	1	5.27
Henry	1	0	0	0	1	1	0	6.66

Chicago	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
D Wright (W, 1-0)	5	7	4	4	3	3	0	5.63
Biddle (H, 1)	1	4	1	1	1	0	0	5.45
Embree (H, 2)	1/3	0	0	0	0	0	0	7.36
Glover (H, 6)	1 1/3	1	1	1	1	0	1	4.78
Foulke (S, 25)	1 1/3	0	0	0	1	2	0	2.47

Biddle pitched to 3 batters in the 7th.

HBP - M Ordonez (by B Stein). Pitches-strikes: D Wright 101-53;
Biddle 24-13; Embree 5-4; Glover 22-13; Foulke 24-14; George
65-42; B Stein 57-36; Henry 15-8. Ground balls-fly balls: D
Wright 8-4; Biddle 1-2; Embree 0-1; Glover 2-2; Foulke 1-1;
George 4-4; B Stein 5-3; Henry 2-0. Batters faced: D Wright 25;
Biddle 8; Embree 1; Glover 6; Foulke 5; George 16; B Stein 17;
Henry 4.

UMPIRES: HP--Mark Hirschbeck. 1B--Ron Kulpa. 2B--Rob Drake.
3B--Marty Foster.
T--3:12. Att--15,620. Weather: 86 degrees, clear. Wind: 13
mph, right to left.

Royals 1st
Daniel Wright pitching:
-- Carlos Febles: Ball, Ball, Strike looking, Strike swinging, Ball, Foul, Febles singled to right.
-- Neifi Perez: Ball, Strike looking, Ball, Strike swinging, Ball, Perez struck out swinging, Febles stole second.
-- Carlos Beltran: Ball, Foul, Ball, Ball, Beltran singled to right, Febles to third.
-- Mike Sweeney: Ball, Strike looking, Strike swinging, Beltran stole second, Sweeney doubled to right, Febles and Beltran scored.
-- Raul Ibanez: Strike looking, Ball, Strike looking, Ball, Ibanez singled to left, Sweeney to third.
-- Joe Randa: Strike looking, Ball, Ball, Strike looking, Ball, Randa hit sacrifice fly to right, Sweeney scored. Ibanez to second on right fielder Ordonez's throwing error.
-- Dee Brown: Ball, Foul, Brown popped out to shortstop.
End of Inning (3 Runs, 4 Hits, 1 Error).

White Sox 1st
Chris C. George pitching:
-- Ray Durham: Ball, Ball, Strike looking, Strike swinging, Durham doubled to left center.
-- Aaron Rowand: Strike looking, Rowand reached on bunt single to first, Durham to third.
-- Carlos Lee: Foul, Foul, Lee popped out to shortstop.
-- Magglio Ordonez: Foul, Foul, Ball, Foul, Ball, Ball, Ordonez popped out to second.
-- Jose Canseco: Foul, Foul, Foul, Canseco homered to left, Durham and Rowand scored.
-- Paul Konerko: Strike looking, Konerko doubled to left center.
-- Herbert Perry: Ball, Foul, Ball, Perry flied out to center.
End of Inning (3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors).

Royals 2nd
Daniel Wright pitching:
-- Mark Quinn: Ball, Quinn grounded out to shortstop.
-- Gregg Zaun: Ball, Strike looking, Ball, Zaun flied out to center.
-- Carlos Febles: Febles grounded out to shortstop.
End of Inning (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors).

White Sox 2nd
Chris C. George pitching:
-- Sandy Alomar Jr.: Strike looking, Alomar singled to shallow right.
-- Royce Clayton: Ball, Strike swinging, Strike looking, Foul, Ball, Foul, Ball, Clayton walked, Alomar to second.
-- Ray Durham: Foul, Durham unknown into double play third, Alomar out at third, Clayton to second. Clayton out at second.
-- Aaron Rowand: Ball, Ball, Rowand grounded out to second.
End of Inning (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors).

Royals 3rd
Daniel Wright pitching:
-- Neifi Perez: Bunt foul, Ball, Foul, Perez struck out looking.
-- Carlos Beltran: Ball, Foul, Foul, Beltran struck out looking.
-- Mike Sweeney: Foul, Ball, Ball, Ball, Strike looking, Sweeney walked.
-- Raul Ibanez: Ball, Ibanez grounded out to pitcher.
End of Inning (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors).

White Sox 3rd
Chris C. George pitching:
-- Carlos Lee: Ball, Ball, Ball, Lee walked.
-- Magglio Ordonez: Foul, Strike swinging, Ball, Foul, Foul, Ordonez struck out swinging.
-- Jose Canseco: Strike looking, Foul, Ball, Canseco homered to right center, Lee scored.
-- Paul Konerko: Ball, Konerko flied out to left.
-- Herbert Perry: Foul, Foul, Ball, Foul, Ball, Ball, Perry grounded out to shortstop.
End of Inning (2 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors).

Royals 4th
Tony Graffanino at second.
Daniel Wright pitching:
-- Joe Randa: Ball, Ball, Strike looking, Ball, Foul, Randa grounded out to pitcher.
-- Dee Brown: Brown doubled to shallow right.
-- Mark Quinn: Strike looking, Ball, Quinn grounded out to third.
-- Gregg Zaun: Ball, Zaun doubled to right center, Brown scored.
-- Carlos Febles: Strike looking, Ball, Strike swinging, Ball, Febles singled to center, Zaun to third.
-- Neifi Perez: Ball, Ball, Ball, Perez walked, Febles to second.
-- Carlos Beltran: Foul, Ball, Beltran grounded into fielder's choice to second, Febles to third, Perez out at second.
End of Inning (1 Run, 3 Hits, 0 Errors).

White Sox 4th
Blake Stein pitching:
-- Sandy Alomar Jr.: Ball, Foul, Alomar flied out to center.
-- Royce Clayton: Ball, Ball, Clayton homered to right.
-- Tony Graffanino: Ball, Ball, Foul, Ball, Foul, Graffanino struck out looking.
-- Aaron Rowand: Strike looking, Foul, Rowand struck out swinging.
End of Inning (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors).

Royals 5th
Daniel Wright pitching:
-- Mike Sweeney: Ball, Ball, Sweeney grounded out to shortstop.
-- Raul Ibanez: Ball, Ball, Ball, Strike looking, Ibanez walked.
-- Joe Randa: Strike looking, Ball, Strike swinging, Randa lined out to right.
-- Dee Brown: Ball, Ball, Ball, Strike looking, Foul, Brown grounded out to second.
End of Inning (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors).

White Sox 5th
Blake Stein pitching:
-- Carlos Lee: Lee reached on an infield single.
-- Magglio Ordonez: Ball, Foul, Strike swinging, Ordonez hit by pitch, Lee to second.
-- Jose Canseco: Ball, Foul, Foul, Canseco struck out swinging.
-- Paul Konerko: Konerko grounded into double play third to second to first, Lee to third, Ordonez out at second.
End of Inning (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors).

Royals 6th
Rocky Biddle pitching:
-- Mark Quinn: Strike swinging, Quinn singled to left.
-- Gregg Zaun: Ball, Zaun flied out to shallow center.
-- Carlos Febles: Ball, Febles singled to shallow right, Quinn to third.
-- Neifi Perez: Strike looking, Ball, Foul, Perez popped out to left.
-- Carlos Beltran: Beltran grounded out to first.
End of Inning (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors).

White Sox 6th
Blake Stein pitching:
-- Herbert Perry: Ball, Ball, Strike looking, Strike swinging, Perry lined out to right.
-- Sandy Alomar Jr.: Ball, Strike looking, Alomar grounded out to second.
-- Royce Clayton: Ball, Ball, Foul, Strike looking, Foul, Ball, Clayton walked.
-- Tony Graffanino: Graffanino singled to right, Clayton to second.
-- Aaron Rowand: Foul, Rowand singled to shallow left, Clayton scored, Graffanino to third.
-- Carlos Lee: Strike looking, Foul, Lee flied out to center.
End of Inning (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors).

Royals 7th
Rocky Biddle pitching:
-- Mike Sweeney: Strike looking, Ball, Strike swinging, Ball, Sweeney doubled to deep left.
-- Raul Ibanez: Ball, Ball, Ball, Ibanez walked.
-- Joe Randa: Ball, Ball, Strike looking, Randa singled to right, Sweeney to third, Ibanez to second.
-- Dee Brown: Alan Embree relieved Rocky Biddle, Strike looking, Ball, Foul, Foul, Brown hit sacrifice fly to left, Sweeney scored.
-- Mark Quinn: Gary Glover relieved Alan Embree, Quinn lined out to right, Ibanez to third.
-- Gregg Zaun: Ball, Ball, Strike looking, Strike looking, Foul, Ball, Foul, Zaun grounded out to first.
End of Inning (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors).

White Sox 7th
Blake Stein pitching:
-- Magglio Ordonez: Ordonez grounded out to shortstop.
-- Jose Canseco: Strike swinging, Ball, Ball, Foul, Ball, Canseco struck out swinging.
-- Paul Konerko: Ball, Ball, Foul, Konerko grounded out to third.
End of Inning (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors).

Royals 8th
Gary Glover pitching:
-- Carlos Febles: Strike looking, Febles grounded out to pitcher.
-- Neifi Perez: Strike looking, Ball, Strike looking, Perez fouled out to third.
-- Carlos Beltran: Aaron Rowand in right, Chris Singleton in center, Ball, Beltran homered to center.
-- Mike Sweeney: Ball, Foul, Ball, Ball, Sweeney walked.
-- Raul Ibanez: Keith Foulke relieved Gary Glover, Ball, Ball, Foul, Ball, Ibanez walked, Sweeney to second.
-- Joe Randa: Ball, Strike looking, Ball, Foul, Randa struck out looking.
End of Inning (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors).

White Sox 8th
Doug Henry pitching:
-- Herbert Perry: Ball, Foul, Ball, Ball, Strike swinging, Perry walked.
-- Sandy Alomar Jr.: Ball, Alomar grounded out to shortstop, Perry to second.
-- Royce Clayton: Ball, Foul, Clayton grounded out to shortstop.
-- Tony Graffanino: Strike looking, Strike swinging, Ball, Graffanino struck out looking.
End of Inning (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors).

Royals 9th
Keith Foulke pitching:
-- Dee Brown: Strike swinging, Ball, Ball, Brown lined out to left.
-- Mark Quinn: Ball, Foul, Foul, Foul, Quinn struck out swinging.
-- Gregg Zaun: Strike looking, Ball, Foul, Foul, Zaun grounded out to first.
End of Inning (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors).