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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
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| Palmer |
DETROIT (AP) – Dean Palmer once again showed no signs of rust
when he came off the disabled list.
Palmer hit a three-run homer in his first game back for the
second time this season, leading the Detroit Tigers to a 6-1 win
over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Sunday.
"We're going to put him on the DL at least once a month so he
can come off it and hit a home run," Detroit manager Phil Garner
said jokingly.
Palmer, who had been out since April 12 with right shoulder
inflammation, hit his first homer of the year on April 7 at
Chicago, after missing the start of the season with a sore right
biceps.
"I was just excited to do something good," Palmer said. "I
knew I hit it well, but you never know out to center field."
The Tigers, who entered the day 12th in the AL in scoring, got
10 hits and six runs against Tampa Bay ace Albie Lopez (3-2).
Lopez entered the game with a 1.66 ERA, the best in the AL. He
walked four and didn't have a strikeout in seven innings as he ERA
jumped to 2.60.
"I think I made two bad pitches all day," said Lopez,
referring to Palmer's homer and Brandon Inge's two-run double in
the fourth.
Jeff Weaver (2-4) pitched eight strong innings and was helped by
sound defense. He gave up one run, seven hits, struck out five and
walked one for his first win since April 8.
The Tigers' defense helped Weaver with double plays in the first
and fifth innings.
"Those will really boost your confidence," Weaver said. "When
you have solid defense behind you, you can just throw strikes."
Fred McGriff hit a solo homer off Weaver in the fourth – the
major league record 38th ballpark he's homered in. McGriff broke a
tie with Mark McGwire, who has hit home runs in 37 parks.
"I've got other issues to worry about, but it's nice," McGriff
said.
McGriff is two pitchers away from becoming the sixth player to
homer off 300 pitchers. He would join McGwire, Eddie Murray, Hank
Aaron, Barry Bonds and Reggie Jackson.
Palmer, playing his seventh game of the year, hit a 427-foot
homer to center field in the first inning to give the Tigers a 3-0
lead.
"I just missed my spot, that's all," Lopez said. "He's a big
league hitter. When you miss your spot, they're going to make you
pay."
Inge gave the Tigers a 5-1 lead with his double to left-center,
after Damion Easley and Deivi Cruz walked.
Cruz doubled in the sixth, went to third on a sacrifice and
scored on a double play.
The bottom third of the Tigers' lineup – Easley, Cruz and Inge –
went 7-for-9 with two walks, two RBIs, two doubles and three runs
scored.
"The story was their offense and Weaver," Tampa Bay manager
Hal McRae said.
The Devil Rays (8-17), who play at Baltimore on Monday, need one
more win to surpass their worst win total for a month, after
winning eight last May. A victory over the Orioles would surpass
last year's win total in April, which was the lowest in the four
years of the franchise.
The Tigers (8-15) have a losing record in April for the eighth
straight year.
Game notes
Tigers president and CEO John McHale Jr. has emerged as a
leading candidate to be Tampa Bay's COO. ... Gerald Williams was
3-for-4 for the Devil Rays after going 3-for-3 on Saturday. ...
Detroit RHP Danny Patterson has not allowed a run and has given up
just three hits in 11 innings. ... Detroit RF Wendell Magee was
placed on the 15-day DL with a broken bone in his left wrist. ...
Tampa Bay DH Ben Grieve batted third for the first time this season
as McRae continues to search for a lineup he prefers. Grieve, who
is batting .175, went 1-for-3.
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OTHER GAMES
Baseball Scoreboard
Tampa Bay Clubhouse
Detroit Clubhouse
RECAPS
Kansas City 11
Boston 8
Cleveland 9
Texas 2
Detroit 6
Tampa Bay 1
NY Yankees 3
Oakland 1
Toronto 2
Anaheim 0
Chi. White Sox 2
Seattle 1
Minnesota 4
Baltimore 0
Milwaukee 10
Montreal 0
St. Louis 12
NY Mets 1
Florida 11
Houston 5
Colorado 14
Cincinnati 7
Chicago Cubs 11
San Francisco 2
Los Angeles 4
Philadelphia 1
San Diego 6
Pittsburgh 1
Arizona 7
Atlanta 5
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