| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
DETROIT (AP) -- The Detroit Tigers were glad to take advantage of
the New York Yankees' troubles.
|  | | Juan Encarnacion, right, had three hits and drove in four runs. |
Juan Encarnacion homered and drove in four runs as the Tigers
trounced the reeling Yankees 13-6 Wednesday night.
The Yankees have lost three straight, five of six and nine of
12.
"We've never had a period of time where we've played this poorly for this long," Yankees first baseman Tino Martinez said.
New York is 15-26 since reaching a season-high 13 games over on
May 9.
"We're struggling right now. There's no other way to put it,"
shortstop Derek Jeter said. "When it rains, it pours. It doesn't
get much worse."
Tony Clark, Luis Polonia and Deivi Cruz also hit home runs for
the Tigers, who have won three straight and are 5-0 at home this
season against the two-time defending World Series champions.
"We've played certainly our five best games against them this
year," Tigers manager Phil Garner said.
The Tigers have won five of their last seven and are 27-25 since
a 5-17 start.
"You come to the ballpark now and feel like you've got a
chance," Detroit's Dean Palmer said. "We've really played well
the whole month and beaten some pretty good teams."
Willie Blair (5-1) gave up four runs on seven hits, including
Bernie Williams' solo homer, in six innings. Blair is 3-0 in five
starts since replacing C.J. Nitkowski in the Detroit rotation.
"With a big lead you kind of have to battle to keep
concentrating and still pitch like it's a close game," Blair said.
"But I'm not complaining. I'll take this every time out."
Steve Sparks pitched the final three innings for his first major
league save.
Ben Ford (0-1), impressive in his first major league start last
Friday at Chicago, lasted just two-plus innings and was roughed up
for seven runs on six hits -- five for extra bases.
"I had no command of my pitches," Ford said. "I didn't feel
any pressure because the team's been struggling. I just didn't have
it."
Ford will probably have to stay in the rotation, though, as New
York's patchwork staff took another hit Wednesday.
Ramiro Mendoza, scheduled to start Thursday's series finale,
went on the 15-day disabled list with weakness in the back of his
right shoulder.
"You have to laugh to keep from crying," Yankees manager Joe
Torre said. "I've managed a number of clubs and played on a number
of clubs, and I've seen this before."
The Tigers had eight extra-base hits off three New York pitchers. Cruz, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored, was a double shy of hitting for the cycle.
Detroit, which has scored at least 13 runs in three of five
games, played without Juan Gonzalez. He was scratched from the
lineup shortly before the game with a sore left foot.
"When you've got a lot of guys swinging well in the lineup it
takes pressure off everyone," Palmer said. "You don't feel like
you have to be the guy."
Ford was in trouble right away as Clark hit a two-run double in
the first inning.
Brad Ausmus started a three-run second with a triple and scored
on Encarnacion's single. Cruz hit an RBI triple and Becker added a
run-scoring groundout.
The Yankees got one back in the third on Jeter's RBI infield
single, but the Tigers sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six
times in the home half.
Clark led off with his 12th homer, Encarnacion hit a three-run
homer off Allen Watson and Polonia added a two-run shot that put
the Tigers up 11-1.
Scott Brosius hit an RBI double and Chuck Knoblauch added a
run-scoring single in the fifth. Cruz answered with a two-run homer
in the bottom half.
Williams led off the sixth with his 17th home run and doubled in
two more runs in the eighth.
Game notes
Knoblauch committed his 15th error at second base when
Jeter couldn't handle his low throw on a probable double-play
grounder in the sixth. Jeter and Knoblauch were flawless on the
next play as Ausmus grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. ... Clark
homered in three straight games and has seven in his last 10. He
has hit safely in 13 of 15 games. ... Brosius was back in the
lineup after sitting out Tuesday with a stiff hamstring. He was
removed after batting in the fifth.
| |
ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
NY Yankees Clubhouse
Detroit Clubhouse
Sosa watch: Yanks make four-player offer to Cubs
RECAPS
Baltimore 8
Boston 7
Detroit 13
NY Yankees 6
Toronto 5
Tampa Bay 2
Chi. White Sox 7
Minnesota 3
Kansas City 8
Cleveland 1
Texas 5
Oakland 3
Anaheim 3
Seattle 2
Cincinnati 7
St. Louis 3
Atlanta 7
Montreal 4
Chicago Cubs 5
Pittsburgh 4
NY Mets 6
Florida 5
Philadelphia 9
Milwaukee 7
Colorado 17
San Francisco 13
Arizona 6
Houston 2
Los Angeles 5
San Diego 4
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Joe Torre is humbled by the slump.
wav: 124 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Derek Jeter says that things can't get any worse.
wav: 133 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
|
