Offermann, BoSox Beat Royals

The Kansas City Royals must be wondering how good the Boston Red Sox would be if Jose Offerman ever gets mad and if their starting pitchers ever get well.

Offerman, who bolted Kansas City last year when Boston dangled a $26 million contract, drove in one run and scored another while an under-the-weather Tim Wakefield pitched 6 1-3 strong innings as the Red Sox beat the Royals 4-1 to start the season with a three-game sweep.

Offerman was 8-for-15 with four doubles, a triple and five runs scored as the Red Sox won their first three games for the first time since 1995. Insisting that he feels no animosity toward his old team, he had two doubles Thursday night.

"There's no revenge," said Offerman, who has had a few cross words for Royals manager Tony Muser. "I have nothing against them. I got a lot of respect for them. I have a lot of friends there. It's just me doing my job."

Wakefield has been battling the same head and chest cold that afflicted Bret Saberhagen on Wednesday before he pitched the Red Sox to a 6-0 victory.

"I woke up this morning not feeling good," said the knuckleball specialist, who gave up three hits and one run. "It's the same thing that (Saberhagen) has got, probably."

Wakefield (1-0), who was 3-0 against Kansas City last year, gave up an RBI single with one out in the second to Rey Sanchez, then did not yield another hit until Sanchez singled with one out in th seventh.

In the three games, Boston had 27 strikeouts against the Royals, who led the major leagues with a 22-9 spring training record but now have started 0-3 for the fifth time since 1992.

"In the begining of the season it's always important to get off to a strong start, especially with a young team," said Kansas City third baseman Joe Randa. "It's definitely frustrating and a letdown to start like this."

Tom Gordon, another former Royal, pitched the ninth for his second save, extending his major league record to 45 consecutive converted save opportunities in regular-season play.

Trot Nixon hit his first career homer, a two-run shot, in the ninth off Don Wengert. The Red Sox, playing without shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, who left Wednesday's game with a sore hamstring, swept a three-game series in Kansas City for the first time since 1991.

Donnie Sadler had two hits and played flawless defense in place of Garciaparra, who may not play again until next Tuesday when the Red Sox open at home.

"With me playing shortstop, fans are like, `Wow, you're not hitting home runs.' But I'm a speed guy," said Sadler. "If I can get the ball in the gap, it's a double or triple and that's as good as a home run sometimes."

The Red Sox have given up just two runs in the last 26 innings.

Offerman doubled leading off the game for the second time this series and scored on John Valentin's sacrifice fly off former Red Sox pitcher Jeff Suppan (0-1).

Suppan, facing his old team for the first time, gave up two runs and six hits in six innings.

Wakefield, who issued only 79 walks in a 17-8 season last year, walked Jeff King leading off the second. He then gave up a bunt single to Mike Sweeney and, one out later, an RBI single to Sanchez.

The Red Sox loaded the bases with none out in the fifth on singles by Jason Varitek and Sadler and Nixon's walk. But they got only one run, on Offerman's fielder's choice. Suppan got out of the inning by getting Darren Lewis on a popup and Valentin on a fly ball.

Notes:

• Jermaine Dye had an adventurous night in right field. After dropping Sadler's fly ball in the second, he ran in hard for Jeff Frye's popup in the sixth but had it drop out of his glove. This time, however, he recovered the ball in time to throw out Mike Stanley at second and avoid a second error.
• The first two games of the series each lasted 2 hours, 51 minutes and saw Boston collect 13 hits and four walks.
• Offerman is two hits shy of 1,000.

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