Tribe Takes First Of Strange Twin Bill

Maybe it's a good thing the White Sox didn't stick around for Game 2.

The Cleveland Indians, forced to make up a rainout date with Chicago, jawed with the new AL Central champion before beating the White Sox 9-2 Monday in the first game of an historic, day-night, three-team doubleheader.

The Indians (85-70), who pulled within a half-game of Oakland (85-69) in the AL wild card race, then played the Minnesota Twins in Monday's night regularly scheduled game.

It was only the second three-team doubleheader in the major leagues since 1900 and the first since Sept. 13, 1951, when the St. Louis Cardinals played host to the New York Giants and Boston Braves at Sportsman's Park.

Alomar got into a heated exchange with White Sox second baseman Tony Graffanino during the bottom of the sixth. Both benches and bullpens emptied and Cleveland catcher Sandy Alomar was ejected after he came out to protect his brother and shoved Chicago catcher Mark Johnson.

Roberto Alomar apparently was upset with Graffanino, who slid hard into second on a fielder's choice in the top of the inning. After Alomar hit an RBI groundout in the bottom half, he gesturetoward Graffanino and had words with the Chicago bench.

Burba allowed seven hits in seven innings and remained unbeaten since Aug. 25 a span of six starts.

Having clinched the division title on Sunday, the White Sox rested starters Frank Thomas, Jose Valentin and Charles Johnson. Ray Durham missed his third straight game since collapsing at Minnesota on Friday night.

But all of them were out there in the sixth when tempers flared between the division rivals who could meet again in October.

Travis Fryman and Russell Branyan added two RBIs for Cleveland.

The Indians trailed 2-1 in the fifth when Burba picked Chris Singleton off second for the final out.

Standing behind the mound, Burba swung his arm and pumped his fist a la Tiger Woods before he was greeted by high-fives in the Indians' dugout.

Burba's play seemed to fire up Cleveland, which responded by knocking out Jon Garland (4-8) with a five-run fifth and took a 6-2 lead.

Garland gave up a pair of walks with one out and Roberto Alomar's RBI single tied it at 2. Ramirez then punched a run-scoring single through the right side, and Alomar scored when David Segui beat the relay throw on a potential double-play ball.

Garland's two-out walk to Jim Thome kept the inning alive and he was replaced by Matt Ginter. Fryman reached on an infield single before Branyan hit a two-run single.

The Indians made it 9-2 in the sixth on RBIs by Roberto Alomar, Ramirez and Fryman.

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