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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
DETROIT (AP) -- Suspended Tampa Bay manager Larry Rothschild
wouldn't say where he watched his team play Wednesday night. He had
to like what he saw.
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Esteban Yan pitched six solid innings, retiring the last 16
batters he faced, and Steve Cox hit a go-ahead two-run homer as the
Devil Rays beat the Detroit Tigers 6-2.
Rothschild began serving a two-game suspension for bumping an
umpire July 18 against Atlanta. He left the ballpark before the
game started and said he went "all over" watching it on
television.
"It's a little more nerve-racking," Rothschild said. "It's
like playing. You'd rather be in the game than watching."
Bench coach Bill Russell is the acting manager.
Fred McGriff hit a two-run single in a three-run seventh that
broke the game open for the Devil Rays, who took two of three in the series and
finished 4-2 in Comerica Park this year.
Detroit's Juan Gonzalez came off the disabled list and was
1-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run scored. Gonzalez hadn't
played since July 5 because of left ankle inflammation.
The loss finished a frustrating 3-4 homestand for the Tigers
(46-53).
"It's definitely extremely disappointing," said second baseman
Damion Easley, who hit a leadoff homer in the first. "We've been
climbing that ladder and we fell a few steps down."
Detroit also dropped the season series to Tampa Bay, 5-4.
"I really think all of us felt confident that Tampa Bay
shouldn't win any ballgames against us, especially the way we've
been throwing and hitting," loser Jeff Weaver said. "When you
make some strides to advance to that .500 mark, then take 10 steps
backward against a team like this, it kind of hurts a little bit."
Yan (5-7) won for the first time since June 16. He gave up two
runs on three hits -- all in the first inning -- with seven
strikeouts and one walk.
"Everyone gave me a hand (after the first inning). I think that
helped me," Yan said. "I threw a lot of breaking pitches for
strikes and (catcher) Mike (DiFelice) called a good game. I just
followed Mike and what he called.
"I felt very confident after the first inning."
Easley led off the first with his eighth homer before Gonzalez
hit a two-out double down the left-field line and scored on Deivi
Cruz's single.
But Yan retired everyone else he faced, including a club-record
five straight strikeouts over the third and fourth innings.
"He settled in and really showed what he's capable of,"
Rothschild said. "There are some starts he's pitched well, but he
needed to pick it up and he did."
Reliever Rick White set down the first five he faced, giving
Devil Rays pitchers 21 straight outs, before Easley broke the
streak with a single in the eighth.
Roberto Hernandez got two outs for his 17th save in 22 chances.
"I kept thinking we'd get somebody on base and get rolling. We
just never did," Tigers manager Phil Garner said. "Give credit to
Yan. He started throwing strikes and hitting his spots."
Weaver (6-9) lost his second straight start and third in four
decisions. He allowed three runs on eight hits in six innings. The
Tigers have scored only 16 runs in his nine losses.
The Devil Rays, who didn't score with runners on second and
third with none out in the third, broke through in the fifth when
Felix Martinez doubled and scored on Gerald Williams' single.
Cox put Tampa Bay ahead with his sixth homer, a two-out, two-run
shot in the sixth.
"Changeup, a pitch that he swung through twice before," Weaver
said. "I had thrown him a 3-2 fastball before and he hit it to
left-center. I was expecting him to be sitting on the fastball
again. I guess not."
Two hits, two walks and an error fueled the Rays' three-run
seventh. Martinez scored on first baseman Hal Morris' throwing
error before McGriff's bases-loaded single made it 6-2.
Game notes
Yan's five straight strikeouts broke Tampa Bay's club
record of four reached nine times previously. ... Tampa Bay DH Jose
Canseco struck out twice and has 1,817 career, one more than Dave
Kingman for fifth place in major league history. ... The Tigers
made roster room for Gonzalez by optioning RHP Erik Hiljus to
Triple-A Toledo. ... 3B Vinny Castilla was back in the Devil Rays'
lineup. He went 1-for-4 after missing five games when hit on the
right hand by a pitch from Toronto's John Frascatore last week.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Tampa Bay Clubhouse
Detroit Clubhouse
Gonzalez: His future in Detroit hinges on bringing in fences
RECAPS
Toronto 8
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