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RECAP
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GAME LOG
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Once again, David Cone was in trouble from the start.
|  | | A dejected David Cone hands the ball off during his career-worst, eight-straight loss. |
Cone lost his career-worst eighth straight decision, pitching
five poor innings Thursday night as the Minnesota Twins beat the
New York Yankees 9-3.
The first five Twins batters reached again Cone (1-10) in a
three-run first inning.
Cone tied season highs by allowing eight runs, nine hits and
five walks. He left after the first three batters reached in the
sixth.
The Yankees have lost the last 12 times Cone has started, and he is winless in 14 starts since beating Toronto on April 28.
"I'm not giving up," said Cone, 37. "All athletes would like to go out on their own terms. I'm certainly going to try to do just that."
Since pitching a perfect game against Montreal on July 18, 1999,
Cone is 3-15 in 32 starts.
"I've tried a lot of things but nothing seems to work," Cone
said. "I still believe I'm a damned good pitcher. In my heart of
hearts, I believe that. It just doesn't look that way right now."
Manager Joe Torre is not giving up on Cone, either.
"We still have a long way to go," Torre said. "Whatever we
can salvage, we will. When he threw strikes, he was okay. But he
walked some people and you have no defense for that."
Denny Hocking had four hits and Cristian Guzman knocked in three
runs as the Twins won their third in a row. The Yankees had their
four-game winning streak snapped.
"When the Yankees come to town, you know two things will happen
-- there will be people in the stands and you will to need to bring
your `A' game to the park," Hocking said. "Fortunately, we got to
Coney early tonight and swung the bats well."
Hocking was in the middle of most of the early action. He
doubled to start a three-run first inning and scored another run in
the fourth. But it was in the fifth when he became the focus of
attention.
Minnesota led 5-0 when Glenallen Hill led off the inning with a single. David Justice lifted a pop fly that Hocking lost in the lights in foul territory in left field.
The ball fell harmlessly. On the next pitch, Justice made good
on the reprieve with a booming two-run home run to right, his 27th
of the season. One later, Chris Turner singled and Scott Brosius
doubled him home to make it 5-3.
Jose Vizcaino then hit a fly ball to deep left. Hocking grabbed it and threw a strike to third, nailing Brosius for the third out of
the inning.
"You can't be perfect out there," Hocking said. "I haven't played a lot of left field and I guess I learned a lesson tonight."
Hocking, known for his defense, led the Twins' offense with the
fourth four-hit game of his career.
Hocking's RBI double in the sixth ended Cone's night, and he
added a single in the eighth.
"I probably had my worst batting practice of the year today,"
Hocking said. "I think I might have concentrated a bit harder at
the plate."
Rookie Mark Redman (9-4) went six innings to earn his fourth win
in a row.
Redman started strong, giving up just one hit in the first four
innings. He left after walking Justice to start the seventh, having
allowed three runs and six hits.
"He only threw one bad pitch all night and that was the home
run to Justice," said Minnesota manager Tom Kelly. "He kept the
ball down and threw strikes. Even some of their hits were on 0-2
pitches."
Redman leads all AL rookies in wins, strikeouts (87) and innings
pitched (107 1/3).
The Twins wasted no time roughing up Cone. Hocking led off with
a double and scored Guzman's single in the first inning.
Lawton walked and Ron Coomer's RBI single made it 2-0. David
Ortiz then walked and Corey Koskie followed with a sacrifice fly.
Lawton's two-run double put the Twins ahead 5-0 in the fourth.
The Twins put the game away in the sixth, scoring four runs.
Hocking's third hit of the game -- his second double -- scored a run
and chased Cone. Guzman greeted reliever Jason Grimsley with a
two-run double and later scored on Ortiz's grounder to make it 9-3.
That left the Yankees a lot of time to think about Cone.
"He knows what he's capable of doing," Turner said. "He is
kind of lost out there. We're all kind of lost and don't know what
to do."
All except Torre.
"The only way you can get out of this sort of rut is to start
fresh from today," Torre said. "His next start will be his first
start. We have to look at it that way."
Game notes
The Yankees continue to struggle against AL Central teams.
They are 14-19 against the division as compared to 20-13 versus
teams in the AL East and 9-5 against the West. ... Despite the
loss, New York has won nine of its past 13 games and 16 of 23.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
NY Yankees Clubhouse
Minnesota Clubhouse
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RECAPS
Tampa Bay 8
Kansas City 5
Minnesota 9
NY Yankees 3
Texas 7
Detroit 3
Chi. White Sox 6
Anaheim 5
Boston 5
Oakland 4
Toronto 7
Seattle 2
NY Mets 4
Montreal 3
(2nd game)
NY Mets 9
Montreal 8
Chicago Cubs 4
Philadelphia 1
Los Angeles 16
Colorado 11
Milwaukee 4
Pittsburgh 3
Florida 12
Atlanta 4
Arizona 17
St. Louis 5
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