Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 47

DETROIT FREE PRESSTHURSDAY, JUNE 7, -1990 7D-- McCiillers makes pitch for Fielder's three homers power Tigers past Tribe A Pair Of 3s Players who have hit three home runs in a game twice in a season: Johnny Mlze. St Louis, July 13 and 20, 1938; May 13 and Sept 8, 1940. Ralph Klner, Pittsburgh, Aug. 16 and Sept 11, 1947. Ted Williams, Boston, May 8 and June 13, 1957.

Willie Mays, San Francisco, April 30 (4) and June 29, 1961. Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh, April 10 and 21, 1971. Dave Kingman, Chicago, May 17 and July 28, 1979. Doug DeClnces, California, Aug. 3 and 8, 198Z Joe Carter, Cleveland, June 24 and July 19, 1989.

Cecil Fielder, Detroit, May 6 and June 6, 1990. by John Lowe Free Press Sports Writer CLEVELAND At 26, right-hander Lance McCullers comes to the Tigers with a Cuban-Irish heritage, eight years of pro experience in three different organizations, and a three-pitch repertoire that impressed National Leaguers before he got lost in the Yankees' peculiar way of doing things. "He was a good-looking young pitcher in the National League, and I thought he really had a chance to be a good pitcher," St. Louis Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog said. "He should be a good set-up man for (Mike) Henneman." "His fastball, slider and changeup are a plus," said one scout who saw McCullers regularly in the National League.

"There aren't many pitchers who have three pitches as good as he does." McCullers, a starter in the minors, said enough work is all he needs to pitch effectively. He's due to get that chance with the Tigers, who acquired him from the Yankees Monday with right-hander Clay Parker for catcher Matt Nokes. He didn't pitch in his first game in a Detroit uniform Tuesday night, but was thrilled that he wanned up in the fourth and fifth innings a quick sign he'll get a lot of work. "I didn't understand it in New York," said McCullers, 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA in 11 games. "I never got that much of a chance.

I'd have a bad game last year, and then I didn't get used again for a while. The way I look it, it was the off-year of my career." New York wasn't the first place he wondered about being used enough. As a sophomore in high school in Tampa, he and another kid split the job as last player on the team. "They had one uniform left, and we "The only time I made a mistake was on the third homer," said Swindell (2-5). "He hit good pitches on the first two." Fielder jogged unemotionally around the bases, as he has on all his homers.

In this era of home-run demonstrations and curtain calls, he doesn't dramatically celebrate or show up the other team. Morris (4-7) allowed 11 hits and struck out eight in seven innings, but avoided the big inning. He won for the second straight start after a career-high eight-start winless streak. Morris is 26-8 lifetime against Cleveland, his most victories against any club. And now he's got Fielder, who has driven in five runs in each of Morris' last two starts.

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The Phillies drafted him in thet-second round of the 1982 draft, theiMi same year two of his Tampa pitching' buddies were selected in the first round: Dwight Gooden by the Mets.V and Richard Monteleone by the Tigers." Philadelphia put him in a packagrtcr San Diego a year later for outfielder-? Sixto Lezcano, a move the Phils could- have done without. McCullers came up. to the Padres in mid-'85, and in the next three seasons went 21-26 with 30 saves while averaging well over innings per season. He was the Yankees' key acquisir; tion when they swapped jack Clark to, the Padres after the '88 season. AT SUMMER SALE CIRCULAR QUART LIMIT 12 9.A8 1 -CASE Msbil TRANS FLUID MULTI-PURPOSE OR TYPE QUART CASE OF If on 12-OUARTS HEAVY DUTY FOR MOST CARS I TRUCKS REC.

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Teams are fully aware that he is the hottest power hitter in baseball, and yet he can't be stopped if they risk throwing him strikes. Guante never gave Fielder a chance to swing and try to become the first Tiger to hit four homers in a game. Giiante's first pitch to him in the eighth skidded in the dirt, and the other three wpre also nowhere near tne strwe zone. The crowd of 13,213, which cheered Fielder after the third homer and when he came up in the eighth, booed Guante after each ball. wasn't disappointed the way he pitched to me," Fielder said.

"You can't think like that. I've got to take the walk in that situation." Fielder became the first Tiger and nifith player ever to hit three homers in a game twice in a season. He hit three in; Toronto on May 6, in an 11-7 loss. He was far happier after these three homers, because the Tigers won, even though Mike Henneman didn't look his sharpest for the fourth straight outing. The Indians' poor offensive execution in the ninth might have prevented comeback win, or at least extra innings.

Dion James doubled with one out and held second when Cory Snyder reached on third baseman Ed Romero's high throw to first on his grounder. I Candy Maldonado then ripped a sftgle to center. James got a late break off second and had to stop at third, loading the bases. This was significant, because it meant Henneman could pitch from a wind-up. Had James scored, Henneman would have needed to work off the stretch with runners on first and second.

Most pitchers throw harder from a wind-up than from the stretch. I Henneman then struck out Chris Jajnes on a 1-2 pitch that was almost in the dirt. Rookie catcher Sandy Alomar Jr; flied to shallow center, ending the game and finishing Henneman's 14th save. i Fielder is on a pace to hit 66 hcjmers, which would break Roger Maris' single-season record by five. Nobody is talking in serious terms about that yet, in part because more pitchers will avoid him the way Guante did in the eighth.

Fielder has four intentional walks this season and can expect that total to escalate rapidly. As on most of his homers, Fielder hit what looked like good pitches, not mistakes. In both three-homer games, he hasn't pulled any of the homers. He led off the second Wednesday by clearing the rightfield wall by a few feet. With one out in the fourth, he lined Swindell's pitch over the fence in center to tie the score, 2-2.

GAME 54 Tigers 6, Indians 4 DETROIT mum 2b Trammel is Mcwbv Fielder lb Ward II Sheeli ph Williams I Lemon rf Healhe Jonet dh Bergman ph Romero 3b Totals CLEVELAND ebrhrj 4 0 0 0 Browne 2b 4110 DJamei lb 4 0 0 0 Snyder rf 3 3 3 5 AMdonedo II 2 0 0 0 Jefferson or 1 0 0 0 CJames dh 0 0 0 0 Alomar 4 0 0 0 Jacobv 3b 2 0 0 0 Webster cf 3 111 Fermln ss 1 0 0 0 Baerga ss 4 110 abrhbt SO 10 5 0 2 1 50 2 0 50 2 0 00 0 0 5111 5010 2211 4 0 2 0 2111 1000 Bias Totals 39 4 13 4 010 140 000-4 011 200 000-4 Detroit Cleveland Romero. DP: Delroit 2, Cleveland 1. LOB: Detroit 3, Cleveland II. 2B: Snyder, Romero, DJames. HR: Fielder 3 (22), Jacobv CJames (3), Jones 14).

SB: DJames (3). SO: Moseby, Ward, Heath, Phillips, Jones, Trammed, Maldonado 2, CJames 3, Alomar 2, Websler 2, Snyder. IP MRERBBSO Morris (W 4-7) 7 11 4 4 2 I Henneman (S 14) 2 2 0 0 1 2 Cleveland Swindell (L 2-5) 5 4 6 4 2 4 Guanle 4 0 0 0 2 2 2:42. 13,213. Umpires: Home, Evans; lb, Ford; 2b, Hendry; 3b, Coble.

How they icored KCONDMNMQ Detroit: SwMel pitching. Fielder homered to right Ward truck out Lemon touted to Drat. Heath waked. Jonee Wed to center. Tigers 1, Indiana 0.

Cleveland: Mom pitching C. Jarrm struck out. Alomar tlruck out. Jecoby homered 10 lefl. Webwer struck out Tigers 1, Indiana 1.

THRD MMNG) Cleveland: Fern) waked. Browne singled to right, Fermln to third. D. Jems grounded Into fielder's choice to Second. Browne forced at second, second to shortstop, Fermln scored Snyder struck out, D.

James stole second SMdorwdo (truck out. Tkjsrs 2, Indiana 1. FOURTH tmn Detroit: Moeeby fted 10 center Fielder homered 10 (enter. Ward waked. Lemon grounded Into Sewer's choic to shortstop.

Ward forced at second, shortstop to second. Heath struck out Tigers 2, Indians I Cleveland: C. James homered lo left Alomar struck out Jecoby waked. Webster singled lo third, Jecoby to second. Fermln singled lo center, Jecoby scored, Websler to third.

Browne grounded Into double play, second to shortstop lo Ural. Indians 4, Tigers i. FFTHSWeJW Detroit: Jones homered to left. Romero doubled to left, phttpt struck out. Trammel srtgtod to right.

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