LAS VEGAS -- It's been a pretty good five months for
Rafael Palmeiro.
The Texas Rangers first baseman put on an awesome power display
on Sunday, hitting home runs on seven consecutive swings en
route to an 11-10 triumph over defending champion Jose Canseco
of the Anaheim Angels in the second annual Big League Challenge.
|  | | Jose Canseco fell short in his bid to win a second straight Big League Challenge title. |
Palmeiro avenged a 28-15 loss to Canseco, a fellow Cuban and
longtime friend, in last year's finals. This title came on the
heels of a season in which Palmeiro smacked his 400th home run.
"I would have liked to have beaten him by 15, like he did to me
last year, but I'll take this win," said Palmeiro. "I got the bragging rights for a year. He rubbed it in a
little bit and now I got him back."
Palmeiro, 36, also figures to anchor the middle of a Rangers'
lineup that includes newly acquired superstar Alex Rodriguez and
veterans Andres Galarraga and Ken Caminiti.
"I hope this is a good omen," Palmeiro said. "This is a good
thing and I'm going to spring training on a good note. With the
team we have, I can't wait to go to spring training and start
beating on some people."
Each player homered twice in the opening inning of the
seven-inning competition, but Canseco took the lead in the
second, homering three times. The final shot was a majestic
blast that landed just under the scoreboard in left-center
field, 475 feet away.
Palmeiro responded with seven straight homers in the top of the
third to take a 9-5 lead and Canseco went homerless in the
bottom of the inning. After Palmeiro, who hit 39 homers in
2000, failed to homer in the fourth, Canseco managed just one in
his half to draw within 9-6.
Each player hit one homer in the fifth and Palmeiro added
another in the sixth to take a four-homer lead into the bottom
of the sixth. Canseco answered with three home runs, including
a bomb that sailed under the scoreboard, and saw his bid at a
tying shot come up just short when he lined a pitch off the top
of the right-center field wall.
Palmeiro went quickly in the top of the seventh, paving the way
for Canseco to have his shot at repeating as champion. But Canseco's first swing
resulted in a drive to wall in center field, his second a foul
popup and third a fly ball to shallow right-center.
"I thought I would get at least one home run, but I was
struggling the whole time with the background," Canseco said of
his final at-bat. "You can't hit what you can't see."
"I thought it was over with. I went up there in the last inning,
really focused," Palmeiro said. "I wanted to get about five
because I really felt that he has done it so many times I knew
one wasn't going to cut it. When I hit just one, I kissed it
away."
The Big League Challenge featured 12 of the major leagues' top
sluggers. Canseco was extended an invitation as the defending
champion with the other 11 invitees based on the number of home
runs hit in 2000. Each matchup, with the exception of the
finals, was five innings with each player allowed three
non-homer swings per inning.
New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza got off to a quick start
against Palmeiro in the semifinals, homering three times in the
opening inning. Palmeiro answered with two in the bottom of the
inning and, after Piazza failed to homer in the top of the
second, Palmeiro took advantage of the wind blowing out to right
field and hit six more.
Piazza homered twice in the third to draw within 8-5, but
Palmeiro again took advantage of the weather conditions and
lined a pair of homers just over the right-field wall. Both
players homered twice in the fourth, but Piazza hit just one in
the fifth and was eliminated, 12-8.
Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton jumped out quickly in
his matchup with Canseco, homering four times in the first
inning. But Canseco got it going in the bottom of the frame
with six. After Helton went homerless in the second, Canseco
hit three more for a 9-4 lead.
Neither batter homered in the third, but Helton hit three in the
fourth. Canseco responded with five in the bottom of the frame
to take a 14-7 lead. Helton, who hit 42 homers in 2000 but is
better remembered for his run at .400, managed only one homer in
his final at-bat and was eliminated, 14-8.
In Saturday's opening round, Piazza needed extra innings to get
by American League Most Valuable Player Jason Giambi of the
Oakland Athletics; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Gary
Sheffield eliminated Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder Steve
Finley; Palmeiro got by Chicago White Sox first baseman Frank
Thomas; and Helton bounced St. Louis Cardinals center fielder
Jim Edmonds.
The quartefinals saw Piazza homer eight times in the fifth
inning to eliminate Houston Astros outfielder Richard Hidalgo,
14-6. Hidalgo, who hit 44 homers last season and was the third
seed, slugged five in his final at-bat to make it respectable.
Canseco advanced to the semifinals with a 10-9 triumph over
Sheffield. Sheffield raced to a 6-1 lead, but Canseco forged
ahead with five homers in the fourth.
Palmeiro earned his spot in the semifinals with a 14-8 victory
over Angels third baseman Troy Glaus. Palmeiro hit at least two
homers in every inning and was able to withstand a five-homer
barrage by Glaus, the second seed, in his final at-bat.
Helton took out top seed Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants
in Saturday's last quarterfinal matchup. Bonds, who hit a
career-high 49 homers in 2000, had an early 2-0 lead, but Helton
crushed eight homers in his final two at-bats to advance.
 Send this story to a friend |
ALSO SEE
Big League Challenge coverage
Notebook: St. Louis rings true for Edmonds
|
