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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
DETROIT (AP) -- "Pitcher friendly" is a phrase often used to
describe Comerica Park. It was just friendly enough to Seattle
closer Kazuhiro Sasaki for the Mariners to end their eight-game
losing streak.
Left fielder Rickey Henderson caught Dean Palmer's bid for a
game-tying grand slam on the warning track in left-center for the
final out Tuesday night, preserving the Mariners' 8-4 victory over the
Detroit Tigers.
|  | | As it turned out, the Mariners needed Alex Rodriguez's three-run homer in the top of the ninth to hold off the Tigers in the bottom half. |
Mike Cameron hit a tiebreaking, two-run double in the eighth
inning and Alex Rodriguez had a three-run homer in the ninth for
the Mariners, whose losing streak was their longest since a
club-record 14 straight losses in 1992.
"I guess we had to make it interesting," Rodriguez said. "The
bottom line is we got the game over and got a big monkey off our
back."
Mariners manager Lou Piniella said his team finally got a few
breaks.
"We haven't gotten many lately, but we haven't created many,"
Piniella said. "Tonight we did and we broke the streak."
Rodriguez's 31st homer gave Seattle a seemingly comfortable 8-3
lead. But his fielding error at shortstop helped the Tigers score a
run and loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth.
Sasaki, who loaded the bases with a walk to Bobby Higginson,
struck out Juan Gonzalez before Henderson hauled in Palmer's drive,
estimated at 400 feet.
"I thought to myself, 'Don't go out, don't go out,' " said
Sasaki, who got his 29th save in 32 chances.
"Comerica got us again today," said Higginson, who homered for
the Tigers. "Anywhere else, that's a home run."
Detroit manager Phil Garner said the wind affected Palmer's
drive but didn't use it as an excuse.
"Everyone's playing in the same conditions," Garner said.
"The wind beat that ball down. Any other day that ball's 10 rows
up."
Cameron, playing center field, said he never thought Palmer's
ball was headed out.
"I thought it was going to be off the wall or something,"
Cameron said. "I haven't seen (Henderson) run that fast all
year."
Seattle broke a 3-all tie after John Olerud's leadoff single in
the eighth finished Tigers starter Jeff Weaver (8-11).
Danny Patterson got Rodriguez to hit into a force play, but
Edgar Martinez singled. After Al Martin grounded out, Cameron
doubled down the left-field line for a 5-3 lead.
"I was turning and twitching and everything else trying to make
that ball fair," Cameron said.
"That was a good at-bat by Cameron," Piniella said. "He hit
the chalk line."
Two-out walks to Henderson and Olerud set up Rodriguez's 31st
homer, a drive off Matt Anderson in the ninth.
"It wasn't very smart to walk two guys to get to Rodriguez,"
Garner said.
Jose Paniagua (2-0) worked 1 2/3 innings for the win. He escaped
a two-on, two-out jam in the seventh when Gonzalez flied out to
deep center.
"Gonzo hit the ball in the wind and it backed up," Garner
said.
The Tigers who failed for the second time in three days to reach
.500 for the first time since they were 1-1. Detroit lost for the
only the second time in nine games.
"It was just a tough game," Weaver said. "The past few games
we've had a lot of ups and downs. It takes a little bit of a toll
on you."
Weaver gave up four runs and six hits in seven-plus innings.
Weaver, who won at Seattle in his last start, has lost his last
four home decisions.
Seattle starter Freddy Garcia allowed three runs on five hits in
6 2/3 innings. The Tigers turned two of his five walks into runs.
Cameron gave the Mariners a 1-0 lead in the second when he hit a
two-out single, stole second and scored when Carlos Guillen's hard
liner glanced off the glove of first baseman Palmer, who tried to
make a jumping catch, for a single.
Garcia walked Palmer and Damion Easley to start the home half
and Deivi Cruz hit an RBI single. Easley scored on a wild pitch to
put the Tigers up 2-1.
Rodriguez tied it with a sacrifice fly in the third after
Henderson walked and Olerud singled. Higginson led off the home
half with his 24th homer.
Consecutive two-out doubles by Joe Oliver and Mark McLemore in
the fourth tied it again. Oliver hit a routine fly to left that
dropped when Higginson lost it in the lights.
Game notes
Sasaki has saves against every AL team except Cleveland
this year. ... The Tigers are 15-5 when Higginson homers. ...
Gonzalez was 0-for-4, snapping his season-high 13-game hitting
streak. ... Henderson stole a base in the ninth inning. The swipe
at Comerica Park gave him steals in 42 different stadiums in his
major league career.
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Baseball Scoreboard
Seattle Clubhouse
Detroit Clubhouse
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