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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
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| Encarnacion |
BALTIMORE (AP) – Phil Garner played a hunch, and Robert Fick
made it pay off.
Fick went 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs as the Detroit
Tigers beat Baltimore 7-5 Thursday night to avoid a three-game
sweep.
Seeking increased production from the catcher's position, Garner
put Fick behind the plate for the first time this season. Fick, a
catcher by trade, had been used mostly at first base and designated
hitter after separating his right shoulder last July 6.
"Robert's been hitting well and we're trying to get some
offense," Garner said before the game.
Subbing for rookie Brandon Inge, Fick supplied the punch that
Garner was looking for. He hit a two-run homer in the third inning
– the first by a Detroit catcher this season – and doubled in two
runs in the fifth.
The three hits tied a career high for Fick, a part-timer who
upped his batting average to .377.
"He pulled us through in a big game," said Garner, whose
seven-run outburst matched the team's total over its last three
games, all losses.
"Last year I sat the bench the whole year and I got hurt and I
had sort of a bad attitude," Fick said. "This year I realize that
a lot of things can happen. Not playing now doesn't mean you're not
going to play. I've just sat back and tried to be positive. And
when I get my chance, when I get in, there's no pressure."
Now that Fick is content and playing well, Garner couldn't be
happier.
"He had a good night, didn't he?" the manager said. "He's
done the job. We need to find a spot for his bat."
Juan Encarnacion also homered for the Tigers, his fifth of the
season and second in two games.
Greg Myers hit his fourth home run for the Orioles, who were
seeking a season-high fourth straight win.
Detroit did most of their damage against former Tiger Willis
Roberts, who yielded six runs and seven hits in six innings.
Roberts (4-3) has lost his last three starts, allowing 19 runs in
16 innings.
"His velocity was down as opposed to what it has been all year
long," Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said. "It looked like he was
trying to keep himself under control and command his pitches.
Willis can't do that. He needs to be aggressive."
The Tigers scored three runs to take a 6-5 lead in the fifth.
After Damion Easley and Shane Halter singled, Roger Cedeno hit an
RBI single and Fick doubled in two runs with a drive to the gap in
left-center.
Encarnacion homered off Mike Trombley leading off the ninth.
Steve Sparks (2-2) gave up five runs and eight hits in 5 2-3
innings. Todd Jones, the fourth Detroit pitcher, worked the ninth
for his ninth save in 11 tries.
The Tigers went up 3-0 in the third, their first lead in the
series. Halter drove in a run with a bunt and Fick hit a two-run
homer, his fourth of the season.
The lead didn't last long, as Baltimore used six hits to score
five runs in the bottom half. Mike Bordick doubled in two runs and
Delino DeShields hit an RBI single before Myers capped the uprising
with a two-run shot inside the right-field foul pole.
Baltimore got only three more hits after that.
"Once we scored the five runs, we just could not get anything
beyond that," Hargrove said. "The bullpen for the Tigers did
really well."
Three Detroit relievers allowed two hits and no walks over the
final 3 1-3 innings.
Game notes
Despite the loss, Baltimore won the season series 4-2. ...
Halter played third base in place of Jose Macias, who is mired in a
2-for-23 slump. ... Brook Fordyce made the first and last out in
Baltimore's five-run second. ... Ten of Fick's 23 hits have been
for extra bases. ... Detroit's Tony Clark went 0-for-4 with three
strikeouts. ... Bordick has 10 RBI in his last 10 games.
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OTHER GAMES
Baseball Scoreboard
Detroit Clubhouse
Baltimore Clubhouse
RECAPS
Minnesota 5
Boston 3
Texas 12
Cleveland 7
Oakland 8
NY Yankees 3
Seattle 5
Chi. White Sox 1
Detroit 7
Baltimore 5
Kansas City 4
Tampa Bay 2
Anaheim 4
Toronto 2
Arizona 7
Cincinnati 2
Houston 4
Chicago Cubs 2
Florida 8
San Francisco 3
Montreal 3
Los Angeles 1
Philadelphia 2
Milwaukee 1
St. Louis 12
Pittsburgh 2
San Diego 15
NY Mets 3
Colorado 8
Atlanta 3
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