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GAME LOG
DETROIT (AP) -- The Detroit Tigers don't claim any patents on
comeback victories. Lately, though, they haven't felt like they're
out of any game.
They were right Sunday when Bobby Higginson's two-run homer
capped a six-run seventh inning and the Tigers rallied from six
runs down to beat the Kansas City Royals 12-9.
Detroit has come back from big deficits in its last three wins,
including a 10-6 victory over the Royals in the second game of a
doubleheader Saturday.
The other was a 5-3 win over the New York Yankees in a game the
Tigers once trailed 3-0.
"We just keep battling," said Luis Polonia, who hit a
bases-loaded triple in the seventh. "We know we can come back and
we keep battling to the last out."
Bullpens were the biggest difference Sunday after both starters
were knocked out in the sixth inning. Three Tigers relievers
allowed two runs over 3 1/3 innings, but four Royals relievers were
tagged for eight runs and eight hits in 2 2/3 innings while blowing
a 9-3 lead.
"Basically the last two nights, last night and this afternoon's
game, there's nothing to say but that we pitched horribly out of
the bullpen, that's all," Royals manager Tony Muser said. "That's
two baseball games. We had a 5-1 lead last night and couldn't win;
9-3 today and 9-4 today and couldn't hold them.
"We go to the bullpen and they not only let them back in the
game, they beat us."
Tigers manager Phil Garner was so confident once the Tigers got
into the Royals' bullpen that he used his top setup man, Doug
Brocail, in the top of the seventh with Detroit trailing 9-4.
"That tells you I think we're going to win the ballgame,"
Garner said. "I felt if he could keep them right there, we'd win
the ballgame."
Brocail (5-3) was the winner, working 1 1/3 innings. Todd Jones
got the final four outs for his AL-leading 27th save in 28 chances.
"Our 'pen is one of the strengths of the team. I feel very
confident in our 'pen," Jones said. "I feel confident with a lead
in the sixth or seventh inning because our bullpen's so strong. I
think our whole team feels that way, too."
Gregg Zaun homered in a five-run sixth that gave the Royals a
9-3 lead.
Brad Ausmus, who went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs
scored, got one back with a leadoff home run in the sixth.
Five straight batters reached base with one in the Tigers'
seventh, with Damion Easley hitting an RBI double before a walk to
Hal Morris loaded the bases. Polonia then tripled to the
right-field corner off Jerry Spradlin.
Tim Byrdak (0-1), who gave up a game-winning grand slam to Jose
Macias in the nightcap of Saturday's day-night doubleheader, got
Macias to hit a grounder to shortstop Rey Sanchez, who threw
Polonia out at the plate.
But Higginson drove an 0-1 pitch over the scoreboard in
right-center for his 20th homer and the Tigers' first lead.
"It was great," Higginson said. "When we got ahead I knew we
were going to win because it's lights-out with Doug and Todd."
Byrdak said Higginson hit a fastball he tried to put on the
outside of the plate.
"It's frustrating because it all comes down to quality
pitches," Byrdak said. "You've got to be able to make 'em. I paid
the price again."
Morris gave the Tigers more than enough insurance with a two-run
double in the eighth off Ricky Bottalico.
The Royals scored three unearned runs in the first after third
baseman Dean Palmer booted Johnny Damon's leadoff grounder. Two
walks also helped set up Mark Quinn's RBI single, a run-scoring
groundout from Todd Dunwoody and Zaun's RBI double.
Damon scored Carlos Febles with a double down the right-field
line to make it 4-0 in the fourth.
Ausmus cut the deficit in half with a two-run double in the
bottom half. Palmer hit an RBI single in the fifth.
Zaun led off the sixth with his fifth homer, and a sacrifice fly
from Sanchez finished Tigers starter Brian Moehler.
Erik Hiljus, just recalled Sunday from Triple-A Toledo, gave up
a run-scoring single to Mike Sweeney and back-to-back RBI doubles
to Jermaine Dye and Quinn that put the Royals up 9-3.
Game
notes
Moehler gave up seven runs -- four earned -- and eight hits
in 5 2/3 innings. ... Royals starter Blake Stein allowed four runs
on six hits in 5 1/3 innings. ... Sweeney made a nice diving stop
toward the line at first base to rob Deivi Cruz of a probable
two-run double in the first. ... Tigers RF Rich Becker saved a run
in the second when, with runners at the corners and one out, he
made a sliding catch of a fly ball from Sweeney, then doubled
Sanchez off first.
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