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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- It was a classic matchup -- the league's
most proficient closer against a team that has built a season on
late-inning comebacks. This time, the Anaheim Angels prevailed over
Todd Jones.
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| Salmon |
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| Spiezio |
Tim Salmon capped a 4-for-4 night with a leadoff homer in the
ninth inning and pinch-hitter Scott Spiezio hit a three-run homer
two outs later to give the Angels a stunning 5-4 victory over the
Detroit Tigers on Monday night.
"We always know we can come back because we've got a
great-hitting team," Spiezio said after his second walk-off homer
of the season. "The great thing about this team is that we never
give up until that last out is made. It's fun to come back and win
a game like this, but we'll take a lot of 10-0 games in our favor
that we can get done early."
Spiezio's homer, which was witnessed by far fewer than the
16,797 who attended the game, was the first in 58 at-bats by Angels
pinch-hitters this season and gave the team its 27th
come-from-behind victory.
"This team's exciting," Angels starter Scott Schoeneweis said.
"I don't know why we don't sell out here every night, because it's
a blast. Every single night we have games like this. It's
unbelievable. We just don't quit."
Jones (0-2) inherited a 4-1 lead from starter Jeff Weaver before
surrendering Salmon's 23rd homer and walking Garret Anderson. One
out later, Ron Gant -- in his first game since being traded from
Philadelphia -- also walked.
With two outs, Spiezio hit a drive that just cleared the 18-foot
high wall in right field for his 11th homer. The blown save was
only the second by Jones in 31 opportunities, and his first since
April 16.
"He's been impressive all year," Spiezio said. "That's why we
were saying in the eighth that if they leave in Weaver or bring in
Jones, it's going to be tough either way. But that's the great
thing about baseball. You never know. I mean, a guy can be
dominating, and just one pitch can swing the game."
It was the second straight outing in which Jones has allowed a
run, following a scoreless stretch of 21 2/3 innings dating back to
May 24.
"This is an offensive league, and you're going to give up
runs," Detroit manager Phil Garner said. "Everybody gives up
runs. I've never seen anybody with a zero ERA -- certainly not
anybody who's pitched at least five times.
"Jones has had an absolutely terrific run for us this year, but
that's the life of a closer. You're either in the outhouse or the
castle. And he's been sitting in that castle an awful lot this
year. This was a tough game for him to lose and a tough game for us
to lose."
Mark Petkovsek (4-2) pitched the ninth inning for the win.
Schoeneweis allowed four runs and nine hits in eight innings.
The left-hander is winless in his last six starts, including three
no-decisions.
"If I keep going deep into a game, good things are going to
happen," Schoeneweis said. "I think it's a credit to me that I'm
in there for eight innings. I mean, how bad can I be pitching if
I'm still pitching in the eighth?"
Jeff Weaver allowed one run and five hits, striking out a
career-high 12 batters in eight innings for Detroit.
"I was ahead of all their guys and using my fastball quite
often," Weaver said. "I was able to work it in and out pretty
well and I stayed aggressive with the off-speed stuff."
Gant, traded for pitcher Kent Bottenfield, went 0-for-3 and
struck out with the bases loaded to end the fourth.
Juan Gonzalez hit a solo homer, his 15th, and Juan Encarnacion
hit a two-run homer in the seventh to give Detroit a 4-1 lead.
The Tigers took a 2-1 lead in the fifth when Encarnacion legged
out a double to left-center, making a nice headfirst slide to avoid
the tag of second baseman Benji Gil. Encarnacion moved to third on
a flyout and scored when Salmon's long throw to third deflected
into the dugout for an error.
Game notes
Spiezio's other walk-off homer was against Francisco
Cordero on May 14 in an 7-6 win against Texas. ... Weaver became
the first Detroit pitcher with double-digit strikeouts in a game
since Justin Thompson did it July 10, 1999, against Milwaukee. ...
Detroit's Damion Easley ended a 2-for-19 drought with a
fifth-inning double. ... Anaheim's Darin Erstad needs 23 RBI in
the Angels' final 55 games to become the first batter in major
league history to drive in 100 runs from the leadoff spot. The
closest anyone has come is 98, by Boston's Nomar Garciaparra in
1997.
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