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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CLEVELAND (AP) -- For the moment, Juan Gonzalez is still with
Detroit. And the Tigers are still making life miserable for the
Cleveland Indians.
|  | | Juan Gonzales, center, is greeted by teammates after scoring on a bases-loaded single by Juan Encarnacion in the fourth inning against the Indians on Friday. |
Gonzalez, whose stance Friday was he would accept a trade to the
New York Yankees as long as he didn't have to sign a contract
extension, had two hits and scored twice as the Tigers held on for
a 7-6 win over the Indians.
Willie Blair (4-1) allowed five hits in 6 2-3 innings as the
Tigers improved to 5-4 against the Indians this season while
dropping Cleveland to 15-16 at Jacobs Field.
Last-place Detroit, just 8-32 at the Jake, took two of three at
home from the Indians last weekend, putting second-place Cleveland
farther back in the AL Central race behind Chicago.
"We're at the bottom of the pile right now and people have been
stepping on us," Tigers manager Phil Garner said. "This is the
kind of win we've tried to build on and haven't been able to."
Tony Clark hit a two-run homer off Jamie Navarro (0-1) and Juan
Encarnacion had three hits and two RBIs for the Tigers, who are
trying to stay focused while their marquee player is rumored to be
leaving.
"Juan has handled it beautifully and it hasn't affected us at
all," Garner said.
David Justice and Kenny Lofton homered for the Indians, who
can't seem to get the big hit when they need one.
"Injuries have really hurt us it's obvious this is not the team
that was expected to go to the World Series," Justice said.
Blair, who got a no-decision in a start against Cleveland last
Sunday, walked two and struck out five. The walks came with one out
in the sixth, but Blair got Justice to ground into a double play.
Gonzalez couldn't come up with Travis Fryman's RBI triple off
the wall with two outs in the eighth, and Justice hit an RBI double
off Doug Brocail as the Indians closed within 7-6.
Todd Jones allowed the tying run to reach second with one out in
the ninth before striking out Omar Vizquel and Roberto Alomar -- on
six straight pitches -- for his league-leading 20th save in 21
tries. Jones has saved 71 percent of Detroit's wins.
"They've been my Achilles' heel," said Jones, whose 9.00
career ERA against Cleveland is his highest against any AL team.
"I decided if I was going to get beat I was going to get beat with
my best stuff. I wanted to go down swinging if I was going to go
down."
The Tigers took a 5-1 lead while chasing Navarro in the third.
Gonzalez doubled with one out, and one out later, Clark homered
onto the home-run porch in left field. It was Clark's ninth homer
of the season and fourth in a week since returning from the DL. Four Tigers followed with singles as Deivi Cruz and Luis Polonia
had run-scoring hits. "We were able to string some things together," Garner said.
"Finally."
Lofton's two-run homer, a 418-foot shot to center, brought the
Indians within 5-3 in the bottom of the inning. But Encarnacion's two-run single in the fourth off Brian
Williams helped the Tigers go up 7-3.
Justice's homer in the first tied it 1-1. Justice, who missed
the last two games with a strained abdominal muscle, was just
1-for-24 in his career against Blair before connecting for his 20th
homer.
Navarro, making his second start against the Tigers after being
signed on June 16 by Cleveland, allowed five runs and nine hits in
just 2 2-3 innings.
Game notes
The Tigers, who hit eight homers Tuesday in Toronto, have
17 homers in their last seven game and 21 in nine. ... Gonzalez
declined comment before the game, but seemed to enjoy himself while
signing autographs with fans during batting practice. ... The left
side of Cleveland's infield -- 3B Fryman and SS Vizquel -- have
combined to make just one error in 70 games. Fryman's error in an
April 18 game against Oakland is the pair's only miscue. Vizquel
hasn't had an error in 71 straight games. Fryman had several
excellent stops Friday night. By contrast, the Tigers' left side
has 19 errors. ... The teams play a day-night doubleheader
Saturday. ... Justice has nine homers in his last 18 games.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Detroit Clubhouse
Cleveland Clubhouse
Sources: Gonzalez will listen to Yankees' offer
RECAPS
Detroit 7
Cleveland 6
Toronto 5
Boston 4
Chi. White Sox 4
NY Yankees 3
Tampa Bay 7
Texas 4
Anaheim 8
Minnesota 3
Oakland 10
Kansas City 6
Seattle 8
Baltimore 3
Florida 6
Chicago Cubs 1
Philadelphia 13
Montreal 6
NY Mets 12
Pittsburgh 2
San Diego 10
Cincinnati 7
Atlanta 3
Milwaukee 2
San Francisco 10
Houston 3
St. Louis 9
Los Angeles 6
Arizona 2
Colorado 0
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