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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Ozzie Guillen is a three-time
All-Star limited to spot duty with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. It's a
role he relishes at this stage of a long, productive career.
"I picked this," the 36-year-old utility infielder said after
his two-run homer snapped a sixth-inning tie Wednesday night and
helped the Devil Rays stop Detroit's season-high, five-game winning
streak with a 4-1 victory. "If I didn't want it, right now I'd be
at home. ... I'm here to help the kids and do anything I can to
help this team."
Bryan Rekar (3-4) allowed seven hits in 6 1/3 innings to win the
first time in six starts since June 1. Jim Mecir bailed him out of
a jam in the seventh, and Roberto Hernandez worked the ninth for
his 12th save in 17 chances.
Guillen's second homer, off Jeff Weaver (5-7), snapped a 1-1 tie
and ruined the Tigers' bid to sweep consecutive three-game series
for the first time since winning all six games on a road trip
against the Rangers and White Sox in April 1990.
"He kills me, that little guy," Tigers manager Phil Garner
said of Guillen, an All-Star shortstop with the Chicago White Sox
who has 28 homers in 16 seasons -- six against Detroit. "I told him
before the game, I wish you would go away. I told him take another
night off."
Damion Easley hit his fifth homer for Detroit's only run off
Rekar, who struck out two and walked none.
Easley's second-inning homer was his second in three nights. He
drove the ball to virtually the same spot in center field that he
hit a game-winning, 10th-inning solo shot off Hernandez on Monday
night. Those were his only two hits of the series.
The Devil Rays tied it 1-1 in the third on a play in which Tampa
Bay's Bobby Smith and Detroit first baseman Robert Fick were
injured. Smith's infield single drove in Gerald Williams from third
base, but Smith toppled over Fick as he crossed first and both
players went down.
Smith left the game with a sprained right knee and will be out
6-8 weeks. Fick separated his right shoulder and also is expected
to be sidelined 6-8 weeks.
"I just lost the bag," said Fick, who was straddling first
when the throw arrived from third baseman Dean Palmer, who made a
diving stop before scrambling to his feet to get the ball across
the field about the time Smith was arriving.
"I was kind of shocked ... I knew something was wrong from the
way my neck felt," Fick added. "I couldn't throw the ball."
Weaver allowed three runs on seven hits, struck out four and
walked four. He threw 121 pitches before being replaced by Matt
Anderson with one outs in the sixth.
Despite winning, the Devil Rays continued to struggle at the
plate with runners in scoring position. They were 2-for-11, with
Smith's infield single ending a stretch of 17 scoreless innings,
and finished the series 3-for-26.
Williams added an RBI single in the eighth off Danny Patterson.
Game notes
Juan Gonzalez was back in Detroit's lineup at DH after
missing two games with a sore left ankle, however 1B Tony Clark sat
out a third straight day because of back spasms. Gonzalez, who was
4-for-6 with three homers against Rekar before Wednesday night,
went 1-for-3 against the Devil Rays right-hander. ... Tampa Bay's
Jose Guillen is 9-for-58 in 16 games since June 17, dropping his
average from .290 to .242. ... The Devil Rays likely will activate
OF Greg Vaughn (strained right hamstring) from the disabled list
Friday. He hasn't played since June 15, but is still second on the
team in home runs with 13 _ two fewer than Fred McGriff, who has
101 more at-bats.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Detroit Clubhouse
Tampa Bay Clubhouse
RECAPS
Cleveland 15
Toronto 7
NY Yankees 12
Baltimore 6
Tampa Bay 4
Detroit 1
Chi. White Sox 6
Kansas City 3
Boston 11
Minnesota 8
Texas 9
Oakland 4
Seattle 6
Anaheim 4
Pittsburgh 9
Chicago Cubs 6
San Francisco 4
Colorado 2
NY Mets 11
Florida 2
St. Louis 4
Cincinnati 3
Montreal 6
Atlanta 5
Arizona 12
Houston 9
Philadelphia 5
Milwaukee 2
Los Angeles 7
San Diego 5
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