Fans, hits scarce in frigid Comiskey // Only 746 see 23 strikeouts as Jays blank Sox

Jays 5 Sox 0

There were 23 strikeouts at Comiskey Park on Wednesday, or onefor every 32.4 frozen fans. Those fans should have been given Ks totake home and warm up for dinner.

Wilson Alvarez tied a career high with 12 strikeouts, and thatwas good for the White Sox.But the Blue Jays allowed only three hits, and that was bad.The Jays won 5-0 when Roger Clemens fanned seven in 5 2/3innings before suffering a right-groin muscle cramp.Three relievers wrapped it up for him, including Luis Andujar, amember of last season's beleaguered Sox bullpen.Alvarez had no idea he had that many strikeouts in seven inningsuntil reporters told him"It was too cold to throw much more than a fastball andchangeup," he said, having used all his pitches to strike out eightin 6 1/3 innings a week earlier while pitching indoors at Toronto.Clemens, who blew the Sox and Alvarez away 6-1 with ninestrikeouts in that game, hated to come out Wednesday."It was disappointing because the hitters really came throughtoday and scratched a lot of runs across," he said. "In a situationlike that, I can really take advantage of it."Clemens felt the cramp while striking out Dave Martinez with oneout in the sixth."I got up there against Frank (Thomas) and knew I'd have to fallon it again," he said. "I don't know what the count was to him(2-and-2), but I ended it with a forkball because you don't have touse your leg as much."I tried to stall for time to see if the pain would go away, butit didn't."Toronto manager Cito Gaston saw Clemens signal for catcherBenito Santiago to come out, and almost beat Santiago to the mound."We were just hoping it wasn't his arm" he said. "Roger's smartenough to take himself out. We're hoping he's not going to miss astart."Only 746 fans took advantage of a $5 fee and open seatingoffered because Tuesday's night game was postponed because of extremecold.The Sox would not use the 34-degree temperature - a record lowfor a game at new Comiskey Park - and winds of 5 m.p.h. as excuses."Everybody in the major leagues has played in cold weather,"manager Terry Bevington said. "It's to be expected at this time ofyear. It's the same for everyone."The game basically was over after 2 1/2 innings. The Blue Jaysscored in the first inning on Joe Carter's opposite-field bloopsingle and added four runs in the third inning, when Ed Sprague'stwo-run double was the big blow.The Sox pushed only two runners as far as second base. AlbertBelle ended a two-on threat in the first inning by hitting into adouble play, and Ron Karkovice popped up with two aboard in theseventh.Alvarez created his own mess in the Blue Jays' scoring innings.He walked leadoff hitter Otis Nixon in the first to set upCarter's single.He set up the big third inning when he hopelessly lost a race tofirst base on Nixon's bunt after a single by Alex Gonzalez.Alvarez walked Carlos Garcia to load the bases for OrlandoMerced, who hit a sacrifice fly. An RBI single by Carter wasfollowed by Sprague's well-hit double."The pitch to Sprague was right where we wanted it," Alvarezsaid. "Karko (catcher Karkovice) gave me the target and I hit it,but he hit it out there."The day, though belonged to Clemens.The Sox had him on their free-agent check list, but generalmanager Ron Schueler had doubts."I never said I thought Clemens was through," Schueler said. "Ijust didn't want to commit three years to an arm that has thrown alot of pitches through the years."NOTEBOOK, BOX SCORE, PAGE 90