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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Juan Gonzalez decided that New York was just a
nice place to visit.
Gonzalez rejected a one-year contract extension, collapsing a
proposed 3-for-1 trade to the Yankees on Monday and then led the
Detroit Tigers to a 13-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians.
The two-time MVP went 3-for-4 with an RBI triple, scored twice
and walked as the Tigers went 7-6 against the Indians this year,
winning the season series for the first time since 1993.
| | Juan Gonzalez rips a triple in his first at-bat Monday after scuttling a proposed trade to the New York Yankees. |
Instead of playing for the Yankees, Gonzalez will now face them
Tuesday night at home.
Gonzalez, who gave conflicting statements about his future
before clamming up during the weekend, didn't have much to say
following the game.
"I'm happy. We win. That's it," Gonzalez said.
Brian Moehler (5-4) pitched 6 2/3 innings for his fourth win in
six decisions. The right-hander gave up seven hits, walked three
and struck out three.
Tony Clark, the AL player of the week, went 3-for-5 with a homer
and three RBI and Juan Encarnacion had four hits, including a
two-run double in Detroit's four-run sixth.
Dave Burba (8-3) might have pitched himself off the All-Star
team with another shaky outing. He gave up six runs and eight hits
in 5 1/3 innings, raising his ERA to 8.49 in his last four starts.
After giving up three runs in the first, Burba tipped his cap as
the crowd booed while he was walking off the mound. However, much
of the booing seemed to be directed at Detroit's Damion Easley who
slammed his bat to the ground after striking out.
"That was my little message to them to let them know I don't
appreciate being booed," Burba said. "They bought their ticket
and have the right to do that. But I don't have to like it."
In dropping three of five to the last-place Tigers, the Indians
fell 8½ games behind first-place Chicago in the AL Central.
Cleveland is 13-17 in a division it has dominated since 1995.
"The way we pitched and played we were lucky to win two
games," said Indians manager Charlie Manuel.
After nearly a week of rumors, guessing games and dead ends, the
Gonzalez-to-the-Yankees soap opera is finally finished.
"I think it wore on him personally," Tigers manager Phil
Garner said.
Garner said he spoke briefly with Gonzalez before the game.
"I told him I was glad the Yankee thing didn't work out and
that I'm happy," said Garner. "He just smiled."
Brad Ausmus gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead in the first with his
fifth homer of the season, a wind-blown shot over the wall in right
off Burba.
After Bobby Higginson walked, Gonzalez, who sat out Sunday's
game with a sore left ankle, looked fine as he legged out a
run-scoring triple. Clark followed with a grounder to short that
scored Gonzalez.
"I think everything being over helped him feel better," Garner
said. "I think he was up for the game."
Ausmus said the Tigers didn't buy into all the trade talk.
"I thought all along that he was going to remain here," Ausmus
said.
Detroit went up 4-0 in the second when Encarnacion doubled,
Deivi Cruz sacrificed and Shane Halter hit an RBI groundout.
Richie Sexson and Travis Fryman drove in Cleveland's runs.
Game
notes Higginson leads the AL with eight outfield assists. ... The
teams combined to use 92 pitchers in 13 games this year, an average
of seven per game. ... When Al Newman relieved in the eighth, the
Indians tied a club record by using 26 pitchers in one season.
Cleveland also used 26 pitchers in 1993 when it went 76-86. ... The
Tigers are still only 10-34 at Jacobs Field and 24-59 against
Cleveland in the last seven years. ... Indians SS Omar Vizquel sat
out with a bruised right knee he suffered fouling a ball off it
Sunday. Vizquel has not committed an error in 74 games. ... Indians
3B Travis Fryman has a 58-game errorless streak, the longest by a
third baseman since John Valentin went 65 games without an error in
1998.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Detroit Clubhouse
Cleveland Clubhouse
Window closes for Yankees-Tigers Gonzo deal
RECAPS
Minnesota 10 Anaheim 6
Detroit 13 Cleveland 2
NY Mets 10 Florida 5
Cincinnati 3 St. Louis 2
Colorado 15 San Francisco 6
Arizona 6 Houston 1
San Diego 9 Los Angeles 5
AUDIO/VIDEO
Dave Burba is not happy after being booed by hometown fans.
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