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GAME LOG
BOSTON (AP) -- Kent Mercker doesn't have to worry that he will go
winless for the season.
|  | | Anaheim pitcher Kent Mercker earned his first victory Tuesday night since coming back from a brain hemorrhage. |
Mercker earned his first victory since missing 80 games with a
brain hemorrhage, leading the Anaheim Angels to an 11-4 victory
over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night.
Troy Glaus had three of Anaheim's six doubles, and Orlando
Palmeiro went 4-for-5 with a career-high three RBIs.
"Just to see Merck out on that mound, whatever he does, it
gives us a lift," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "I saw him
the day after the hemorrhage in his brain. He was a bit wobbly. ...
From that to getting a win in a major league game -- that's about as
full circle as you can get in this game."
Mercker (1-2) left his May 12 start after 30 pitches with a
severe headache and dizziness and was later diagnosed with a
cerebral hemorrhage. He was hospitalized for 12 days -- four of them
in intensive care.
For the next few months, he worried every time he got
light-headed. Doctors assured him that the problem was unlikely to
return, though, so the only lasting effect on Mercker is his change
in perspective.
"It's a second chance for me," said Mercker, who had gotten a
loss and a no-decision since rejoining the rotation on Aug. 12.
"Every time I take the field I look at it like this could be the
last time doing it."
Mercker struggled through six innings, allowing four runs on
nine hits and four walks, striking out two. But it was the longest
outing of the season and his first win since he clinched a
wild-card berth while pitching for the Red Sox last Sept. 29.
"We were all worried around here," Boston shortstop Nomar
Garciaparra said. "It's good to see him back out there. He got a
win and I'm happy for him. Unfortunately, it's against us."
Tim Wakefield (6-8) gave up eight runs on nine hits and two
walks in 4 1/3 innings. He has not won in seven starts.
Palmeiro doubled and scored in the first, then singled in two
runs in Anaheim's three-run second. Boston scored one in the third
and three in the fourth to tie it before Anaheim chased Wakefield
in a six-run fifth.
With one out, Mo Vaughn, Tim Salmon and Garret Anderson all
singled to score one run, and Glaus doubled to drive in two more.
Hipolito Pichardo relieved Wakefield and got Bengie Molina to
ground out, then he walked Adam Kennedy and gave up an RBI double
to Ron Gant.
Kennedy scored on a wild pitch before Palmeiro doubled to drive
in a sixth run and make it 10-4. Anaheim added another run when
Glaus doubled and scored in the seventh.
Game notes
The Angels had lost nine of their previous 12 on the road.
... Salmon needs two homers for the Angels to become the first AL
team in baseball history with four players with 30 or more homers.
Glaus had 36, Anderson had 31 and Vaughn had 30. ... Darin Erstad,
who leads the AL with 189 hits, missed his third consecutive game
with muscles spasms in his left rib cage. ... The Angels protested
Monday night's game, in which the umpires made two bad calls.
General manager Bill Stoneman said the protest was filed Tuesday.
... Anaheim acquired LHP Scott Karl and cash from the Colorado
Rockies. ... Rico Brogna was not in the starting lineup for the
seventh consecutive game. He is hitting .182 (4-for-22) in 12 games
with Boston. ... Brian Daubach's last 14 RBIs have been at home.
... Nomar Garciaparra is in a 4-for-26 slump, his worst of the
season. ... Ramon Martinez will make a rehab start for Triple-A
Pawtucket on Friday in Buffalo. ... LHP Pete Schourek made a rehab
start for Pawtucket Tuesday night, allowing one hit and one walk
while striking out one in three scoreless innings. ... Troy O'Leary
had two doubles. ... Anderson had three hits.
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AUDIO/VIDEO
 ESPN's Buck Martinez reports on the miraculous return of Kent Mercker.
RealVideo: | 28.8
 The Angels' Kent Mercker has a new outlook on the game of baseball and life.
wav: 189 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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