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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
DETROIT (AP) -- Cleveland's young pitchers keep leaving balls over the plate and Bobby Higginson keeps hitting them.
|  | | Bobby Higginson ripped a pair of two-run doubles and had 4 RBI for the second straight game. |
Higginson drove in four runs for the second straight game and the Detroit Tigers hung on Wednesday night for a 10-9 victory over the Indians.
"Some of it's luck, but some of it's the fact that I'm seeing
the ball really well right now," said Higginson, who also grounded
into his first double play of the season.
Cleveland's first four pitchers all started the season in the
minor leagues. Because of mounting injuries, the Indians have been
forced to take help anywhere they can find it.
Tim Drew, brother of St. Louis Cardinals outfielder J.D. Drew,
made his major league debut for the Indians, leap-frogging from
Double-A Akron. He was shuffled on to Triple-A Buffalo right after
the game.
"I feel like we're making all the right moves," Indians
manager Charlie Manuel said. "But we had all young pitchers and we
just didn't execute. These are young guys and Detroit's a pretty
good-hitting ballclub."
Richie Sexson homered twice, and Roberto Alomar and Jim Thome
also connected for Cleveland, which overcame a 5-1 deficit to take
a 6-5 lead after four innings.
Danny Patterson (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings in relief of starter Jeff Weaver. Todd Jones, the sixth Tiger pitcher, worked the ninth for his 13th save in 14 chances, allowing Sexson's
two-run homer.
"Our hitters, they deserve all the credit today," Patterson
said. "I pitched two innings of nine innings and they're crushing
the ball. They have to give the win to somebody. It happened to be
me."
Mark Watson (0-1), given a 6-5 lead in the sixth, loaded the
bases on two singles and a walk, and Juan Gonzalez tied it with an
RBI grounder off Sean DePaula.
Higginson, who already had four RBIs, was walked intentionally.
Shane Halter was called out on strikes, but DePaula forced in the
go-ahead run with a walk to Brad Ausmus and Jose Macias followed
with a two-run single for a 9-6 lead.
Thome hit a seventh-inning homer off Allen McDill, but Gonzalez
had an RBI single in the bottom half.
"You don't expect too many low-scoring games when you're
playing Cleveland," Tigers manager Phil Garner said. "But our
offense is definitely becoming more aggressive."
Higginson gave Detroit a 2-0 lead in the first with a two-run
double off Drew.
Sexson homered to make it 2-1 in the Cleveland second, and
Detroit chased Drew in the bottom half when Rich Becker had an RBI
single and Higginson hit another two-run double.
Alomar hit a two-run homer in the third, and Cleveland went
ahead in the fourth on RBI singles by Omar Vizquel, Alomar and
Manny Ramirez.
Drew gave up five runs -- three earned -- five hits, two walks
before Jim Brower relieved three batters into the second with no
outs. He also made an error.
Drew took off his cap as he walked to the dugout and went down
the steps to handshakes from his teammates.
"Well, it was a good experience," Drew said. "Being 21 years
old, making your major league debut, that isn't too bad. It didn't
turn out the way I wanted, but I guess all things happen for a
reason."
Game notes
The Indians have homered in 15 straight games, one shy of
the club record set in 1963. Sexson had his fourth multihomer game,
his first since last July 27 against the Tigers. ... Sexson's homer
in the second was the first to clear the center field wall in
Comerica Park. ... Enrique Wilson left with a strained right hamstring after being thrown out on a routine grounder in the
second. Travis Fryman played third base the rest of the way for the Indians. ... Roberto Alomar extended his hitting streak to 16 games. ... Gregg Jefferies hit his 300th career double in the fourth. ... Dean Palmer, who was hit on the left elbow by a pitch in the first, was replaced starting the fifth. ... David Justice,
who missed four games with a groin injury, was the DH for
Cleveland. ... Drew wore No. 47.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Cleveland Clubhouse
Detroit Clubhouse
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