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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Hideo Nomo was happy to be facing a
countryman, and even happier with the results.
Dueling Mac Suzuki, a close friend who lives near him in Western
Japan, Nomo gave up just three hits in seven-plus, heat-soaked
innings while leading Detroit to a 2-0 victory Sunday and
three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals.
|  | | Todd Jones pitched a perfect ninth for his AL-leading 23rd save. |
"I was happy it was Mac Suzuki because I knew at least one
Japanese pitcher would probably get a win today," said Nomo (3-8).
Nomo and Suzuki, who have the same agent, matched each other
almost pitch-for-pitch on the humid, sweltering afternoon until
tiring in the eighth.
Suzuki (3-3) gave up just four hits and equaled his career-high
with eight strikeouts. He walked Rich Becker leading off the eighth
and was relieved by Jerry Spradlin.
Nomo (3-7) allowed only four base runners while winning for the
first time in seven starts. Johnny Damon singled leading off the
game and Mark Quinn hit a one-out triple in the second.
After that, he allowed only one walk until Joe Randa singled
leading off the eighth, striking out seven and walking only one.
"That's Nomo for me," said Detroit manager Phil Garner, who
brought Doug Brocail from the bullpen after Randa's single. "I
expect that from him all the time because he pitched like that last
year. On a hot day, he did a good job."
Nomo wanted to stay in the game.
"I could have done that," he said. "I always want to stay."
"I'm not sure he couldn't have pitched the eighth. He had them
mystified," Garner said. "But I didn't want to take the chance."
Suzuki was also one half of the only other major league game
matching Japanese starters when he lost 10-1 last May 8 to Hideki
Irabu and the New York Yankees.
"He lives about 20 miles away from me," Suzuki said of Nomo.
"Before he came to the United States I met him a couple of times.
He's actually helped me out on my mechanics. I didn't feel anything
special. It's just disappointing not to win the game."
Todd Jones pitched the ninth for his league-leading 23rd save in
24 chances. Jones saved all three games of the series.
Luis Polonia hit his fifth home run leading off the game. In the
sixth, Bobby Higginson tripled leading off and scored on a single
by Juan Gonzalez.
Royals manager Tony Muser was ejected in the first inning after
Damon was called out on a close play at second. Tigers players,
watching the replay in the clubhouse after the game, agreed that
Damon was safe.
Muser ran onto the field and had a long, animated argument with
second base umpire Mike Winters before getting tossed.
"It was a normal discussion between a manager and an umpire,"
said Muser, adding that he touched Winters on the chest to show him
where the high tag was.
"I touched him and I'm not allowed to touch him," he said.
Told that Muser was only trying to show him where the tag was,
Winters said, "It doesn't matter. He can't touch me, especially
during an argument."
The Tigers, who had not swept a three-game series in Kansas City
since Sept. 21-23, 1998, faced a bases-loaded jam with two outs in
the eighth. But Brocail struck out pinch-hitter Scott Pose.
The Royals, thought to be possible AL wild-card contenders three
weeks ago, have lost 14 of their last 19.
Game notes
Polonia has led off a game with a home run 10 times in his
career. ... The Royals have given up at least one home run in 64 of
79 games. ... Carlos Beltran made a sparkling catch of Polonia's
sinking liner into right-center in the fifth. ... Mike Sweeney and
Ricky Bottalico were voted the Royals' pitcher and player of the
month for June. ... The Tigers are off to a 3-0 start in their
longest road trip of the year, a nine-game journey to Kansas City,
Tampa Bay and Milwaukee.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Detroit Clubhouse
Kansas City Clubhouse
RECAPS
Cleveland 7
Minnesota 1
NY Yankees 5
Tampa Bay 2
Baltimore 3
Toronto 2
Chi. White Sox 8
Boston 2
Detroit 2
Kansas City 0
Oakland 10
Anaheim 3
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Texas 4
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NY Mets 2
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Montreal 1
Philadelphia 9
Pittsburgh 1
Milwaukee 4
Chicago Cubs 2
Houston 6
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Cincinnati 14
Arizona 2
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San Diego 2
San Francisco 6
Los Angeles 5
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