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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- David Ortiz is on a tear and Ron Coomer and
the Minnesota Twins are reaping the benefits.
Coomer had four hits and Ortiz added three, giving him 13 hits
in 17 at-bats, as the Minnesota Twins beat Cleveland 10-6 Saturday
night. It was the Indians' fourth straight loss.
"This is great for the team," said Coomer, who bats ahead of
Ortiz. "We really need him in the middle of the lineup. He's just
having quality at bat after quality at bat. He's swinging really
well right now."
Ortiz is hitting .765 in the last four games and has reached
base safely in 14 of 18 plate appearances. He also has 13 RBI in
16 games.
"I've been hot before, every player has, but I don't know if
I've been this hot," said Ortiz, who struck out in his final two
at-bats. "I come to the stadium knowing I'm going to play and that
gives me confidence."
Ortiz had an RBI single in a four-run first inning, another
single in the second and a double in the fourth. He also scored
twice.
Coomer had two doubles, two singles and drove in two runs for
the Twins, who collected a season-high 18 hits.
"We all hit the ball and we needed it all," Coomer said.
Richie Sexson's grand slam off Twins starter Mike Lincoln in the
fourth inning erased a 5-2 deficit.
However, Minnesota scored three runs in the bottom of the
fourth, then added two unearned runs in the fifth, thanks to a rare
error by shortstop Omar Vizquel.
Vizquel failed to handle a short hop on a spinning, yet fairly
routine grounder by Matt Lawton, snapping a 95-game errorless
streak, second longest in major league history. Vizquel's last
error came on Sept. 25, 1999, at Toronto.
"It was a tough play, a slider that hit off the end of the
bat," Vizquel said. "One of my goals since I stepped into the big
leagues was to go a whole season without an error."
Lawton said the ball squibbed off his bat and was a tough
chance, even for Vizquel.
"If that guy doesn't make the play, you know something's
wrong," Lawton said. "If it wasn't spinning, he makes the play
easy. But, it was an error."
Rey Ordonez of the New York Mets owns the major league record at
101 games (June 14, 1999-March 29, 2000).
Vizquel, a seven-time Gold Glove winner, was tied with Cal
Ripken (1990) for the longest streak in American League history.
Vizquel's streak covered 428 chances.
"I couldn't hardly believe it," Indians manager Charlie Manuel
said. "I felt for him."
Manny Ramirez hit a two-run homer in the first inning, his 20th
of the year and second in two nights. Ramirez has seven homers and
15 RBI in nine games since coming off the disabled list.
His homer gave the Indians a 2-0 lead, but Minnesota sent 10 men
to the plate in the bottom of the first to score four runs against
starter Tim Drew.
Coomer, Ortiz and Jacque Jones all had run-scoring hits and Chad
Allen added a sacrifice fly.
Minnesota made it 5-2 in the third on back-to-back singles by
Allen and Jones, and Cristian Guzman's sacrifice fly.
Corey Koskie and Allen had run-scoring hits in the fourth, and
another scored on a balk by reliever Kane Davis (0-3) as the Twins
went back on top 8-6.
Vizquel's error in the fifth allowed Jones to score from third
with two outs, and Coomer followed with his second double of the
game.
Reliever Johan Santana (2-2) picked up the victory with 2 1/3
innings of one-hit relief. Bob Wells pitched 1 1/3 perfect innings
for his seventh save in 11 chances.
Game notes
Sexson was in a 14-for-70 (.200) slump prior to his 16th
homer. ... Drew lasted just three innings, giving up 10 hits and
five runs. ... Coomer's four-hit game was the sixth of his career.
... Jones had three singles as Guzman was the only starter to go
hitless. ... Manager Tom Kelly was back in the Metrodome, but not
on the bench for the second straight game. After missing nine games
due to his father's heart surgery in Florida, Kelly decided to take
another day off. ... Interim manager Ron Gardenhire is 6-4.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Cleveland Clubhouse
Minnesota Clubhouse
Vizquel's near-record errorless streak ends at 95 games
RECAPS
Kansas City 8
Detroit 5
Detroit 10
Kansas City 6
(2nd game)
Oakland 10
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Texas 5
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NY Yankees 4
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Chi. White Sox 6
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Cleveland 6
NY Mets 4
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