Kenny Rogers

Quote: "You must be a glass-is-half-empty kind of guy. I'm a glass-is-half-full kind of guy." -- Red Sox manager Jimy Williams, to a reporter's question on whether he was concerned about his 56-40 team having lost three of its past five games.It's a fact: The White Sox's Frank Thomas is now 96th all-time with 273 home runs, two behind Roger Maris and Brian Downing.Who's hot: The Athletics' Kenny Rogers (10-3) has a four-game winning streak, having allowed only four earned runs in those games (32 innings)

At Oriole Park at Camden YardsDay .... Time .... TV ....... StartersTonight ... 7: 05 .. 54, 50 .... Kenny Rogers (2-1, 3.91).................... ........... vs. Scott Kamieniecki (2-0, 3.00)Tomorrow .. 1: 35 .. HTS ....... Jimmy Haynes (1-0, 5.64).................... ........... vs. Jimmy Key (2-1, 4.37)Sunday .... 1: 35 .. HTS ....... Tom Candiotti (1-3, 2.83).................... ........... vs. Doug Drabek (1-3, 7.52)Radio: All games on WBAL (1090 AM) and WTOP (1500 AM)Athletics updateThe A's are coming off a series victory against the Minnesota Twins, taking the first two games at the Oakland Coliseum before suffering a 4-2 loss in the finale Wednesday night.

Hitting Frank Thomas, White Sox: 3-for-4, 2 HR.Troy O'Leary, Red Sox: 2-for-4, 2 HR.Alex Rodriguez, Mariners, 4-for-4, HR, triple, 3 RBIs.Paul O'Neill, Yankees: 2-for-3, 2 doubles.Jose Canseco, Blue Jays: HR (7th of season).PitchingKenny Rogers, Athletics: 7 innings, 2 runs, 5 hits.Jaret Wright, Indians: 7 1/3 innings, 3 runs, 6 hits.Pub Date: 4/19/98

Hounded by a season without give, Mike Mussina took what he could yesterday then calmed himself while his team celebrated its knockout win.Reversing two days of overmatched pitching, Mussina offered the Orioles a seamless three-hitter that translated into a 6-1 win over the New York Yankees and a virtually insurmountable 7 1/2 -game lead in the American League East. With 17 games remaining, the Orioles' magic number for clinching their first divisional crown in 14 years shrank to 10. Yet for Mussina (14-7)

NEW YORK -- Mike Mussina suffered a loss and a jagged cut on his right index finger yesterday. Compared to what the New York Yankees suffered the three days before, Mussina wasn't complaining.The Orioles lost a 10-3 battle to the Yankees, but like Sunday morning betting lines, this skirmish was for entertainment only. The hard-luck Mussina was denied a win in a new way as he survived only three-plus innings before the cut forced him from a 4-1 game.The Yankees, facing a four-game sweep and an 0-for-8 1997 run at the hands of the Orioles, then hammered the game out of reach with six runs (three earned)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Rafael Palmeiro sat at his home in Texas this winter and watched the Orioles maneuver to lessen the power in their lineup while they enhanced their pitching, defense and chemistry."

On the field: George Steinbrenner can't say Kenny Rogers didn't contribute anything to the New York cause last night. Denny Neagle had retired the first eight hitters he faced when Rogers came to bat for the first time in his career in the third inning. Rogers lashed a liner that went off the glove of third baseman Chipper Jones for a single.In the dugout: When Neagle fell behind Darryl Strawberry in the count three balls and no strikes in the second inning, the Braves shifted their infield, with shortstop Jeff Blauser moving to the first-base side of second.

Yankees' Kenny Rogers (12-8, 4.84) vs. Braves' Denny Neagle (16-9, 3.44)(records include postseason)What Rogers throws: Fastballs and changeups, with an occasional breaking ball. A key for Rogers is to be able to throw strikes over the inside part of the plate.What Rogers has done lately: He has consistently pitched poorly in the postseason, with the same approach, throwing balls low and away and putting runners on base and needing lots and lots of pitches to get by. Yankees manager Joe Torre even considered replacing him on the World Series roster.

NEW YORK -- New York Yankees manager Joe Torre again has been forced to let Mother Nature make his pitching plans, which appears to put his club at a disadvantage in the rain-delayed 92nd World Series.The storm that washed out Game 1 last night will make both teams play through tomorrow's travel day, leaving Torre no alternative but to use struggling left-hander Kenny Rogers to pitch Game 4 at Atlanta/Fulton County Stadium. The delay appears to work in favor of the Atlanta Braves, since manager Bobby Cox already planned to go with four starting pitchers.