Lansing State Journal from Lansing, Michigan • Page 23

Lansing State Journal Wednesday, April 12, 2000 5C Detroit Tigers home opener Clark9 gem keys victory change Tigers 5, Mariners 2 SEATTLE Mclmre If Cmeron cf ARdrgz ss Olerud 1b EMrtnz dh Buhner rf DM Bell 2b Mabrylf DWilsnc CGuilln 3b Totals Seattle Detroit DETROIT abrhU ibrhbi 5 0 0 0 Polonia dh 4 4 0 0 0 Jfferies 2b 4 12 4 0 2 0 Halter 2b 10 5 13 0 Hognsn If 4 5 0 0 0 TOartc 1b 4 0 5 0 3 0 Asmus 3 0 3 0 0 0 Palmer 3b 2 0 1 0 0 0 KGarca rf 4 0 4 13 0 JEcrcn cf 3 2 301 1 DCruzss 1010 39 212 1 Tot 5 000 11 tIA AAfe AA 5j 210 2 0 0 012 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 84 SOO-2 a sign of Comerica one piece of plan to revitalize downtown Detroit Associated Press DETROIT For more than a century, baseball in Detroit meant the corner of Michigan and Trumbull. That all changed Tuesday. The Detroit Tigers and more than 39,000 fans shivered through light rain and 40-degree temperatures to help give Comerica Park a victorious opening, a 5-2 win over the Seattle Mariners, "Uncluttered and nice and wide open" was the praise of Scott Primrose of Brighton, among those embracing the $300 million ballpark after decades of sitting behind screens and beams in Tiger Stadium's cramped seats "I thought this was great," said Fred Vanhala of Allen Park. "I loved Tiger Stadium, but it was time for a switch." Gregg Jefferies and Bobby Hig-ginson each drove in two runs and Brian Moehler (1-1), who started and won the final game at Tiger Stadium, won this one, too. "This is for the Detroit fans, all the suburban fans, the state of Michigan.

This is a new generation for all baseball and the future," Tigers owner Mike Hitch said before 9-year-old Maggie Dewald of Ham-tramck threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Comerica Park sits across from where the Detroit Lions' new Ford Field is scheduled to open in 2002. Together, they are part of a major push to revitalize Detroit's long-suffering downtown. ym i f- i i I By Barry Kiel and Jack Ebling Lansing State Journal DETROIT First baseman Tony Clark, known primarily for his long home runs, used a long reach to help the Tigers beat Seattle 5-2 Tuesday. With Detroit leading 4-2, the Mariners had runners on first and second and none out in the top of the sixth inning, when the 6-foot-7 Clark dived to his right and backhanded a low line drive from leadof hitter Mark McLemore.

Clark immediately scrambled to his feet and dashed to first base, beating runner Carlos Guillen to the bag for a double play and the game's critical defensive effort. "I was fortunate to be able to read the ball as it came off his bat," Clark said. "I was blessed by being 6-7. And I took full advantage of it. It also helps to be 20 pounds lighter this year.

I noticed early on that I'm able to get to more balls than in the past." He got the ball the Tigers needed for a successful debut at Comerica" Park, just as they had at their other two homes Bennett Park, with a 17-2 win over the Columbus Senators on April 28, 1896, and Navin Field (later Briggs and Tiger Stadium), with a 6-5 win over the Cleveland Indians on April 20, 1912. GM APPROVAL: Thanks to the greater dimensions of their new park, the Tigers showcased a different style of baseball than that they played in cozy Tiger Stadium. Instead of waiting to score with home runs, the Tigers hit balls to the outfield gaps and utilized sacrifice bunts. General Manager Randy Smith, for one, loves the difference. "In this ballpark, you have to be athletic and do things right," Smith said.

"There are going to be triples, which are a very exciting play. You have to hit cutoff men in the outfield. "You have to move runners along. Deivi (Cruz) put down three sacrifice bunts that's beautiful. That's the way baseball is supposed to be played.

MODERN CONVENIENCE: The- i i i GREG DeRUITERLansing State Journal Here's the windup Detroit starter and winner Brian Moehler prepares to fire a pitch in the first inning of the Tigers' 5-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners at the grand opening of Comerica Park. Tigers: Detroit downs Seattle in home opener Comerica Park firsts First pitch: A strike by Moehler to Mark McLamore. First hit: Seattle's John Olerud, a double to right field in the first inning. First error: A bobbled ground ball by Tigers shortstop Deivi Cruz off the bat of Mike Cameron in the first inning. First triple: Louis Polonia, a blast over the head of Cameron in left center.

First strikeout: Tony Clark, on a high fastball from Garcia. First balk: Seattle starter Freddie Garcia in the first inning, scoring Gregg Jefferies. First homer: Still waiting. cdib mm kud one ekb Tigers and Mariners utilized one of the qualities of Comerica Park that never would have been possible in Tiger Stadium. With the temperature never getting past 40 degrees, the two managers agreed to have their pitchers loosen up in the batting cages underneath the stands, rather than in the bullpens.

The move kept pitchers out of the frigid weather, but it was a bit awkward according to Tiger closer Todd Jones. "I couldn't really tell what was going on from down there," Jones said. "You could hear the A. guy, but you couldn't tell if anybody was scoring any runs. Then the change in temperature was kind of a shock to the system when I first got out there.

It was definitely tough to get used to, but I hope we do it again tomorrow night because it's supposed to be even worse." BOTH ENDS OF HISTORY: Jones got the final out for the Tigers in both the final game in Tiger Stadium last September and in Tuesday's Comerica Park opener. Brian Moehler also got the start in both games. "I like to consider myself a guy that's up on history, so it means a lot that I was part of both of those games," Jones said. IMPRESSED OBSERVER: One man familiar with new ballparks came away impressed with Comerica Park on Tuesday. John Ralph, the executive director of the Baseball Hall of Fame, was on hand to collect memorabilia from the historic game.

He said the Tigers' new home is as good as any. "I've seen all the new parks, and this ranks right up there," Ralph said. "It has everything the new parks have, but it seems a little more intimate." mas 10AM-9PM Car Flags, Polos, Large Youth Dept. XXL Sizes and Much, Much. More! DAYS 1-96 EXIT 104 4 CEDAR ST BOOKMARK IT! www.

lansingstatejournal com Real Estate Search MSU Sports Cars Search Online Classifieds Golf Site Employment Search More rSPORTS WO I ell ma I wmmm mm mmm LARGEST SELECTION ANYWHERE! E-Cameron (1), DWilson (1), Palmer (3), JEncarnacion (3), DCruz (1). DP Detroit 1. LOB Seattle 13, Detroit 9. 2B Olerud (1), DWilson (1), CGuillen (1), JEncarnacion (1), DCruz Polonia (2). Higginson (1).

S-DCna 3, IP REB Bt SO Sesttto FGarcia L.1-1 6 6 5 4 Paniagua 2 2 0 0 0 2 Detroit Moehler W.1-1 6 10 2 1 1 3 DPatterson 2-310010 Brocail 11-3 0 0 0 0 1 1 10 0 12 Balk Garcia. Umpires-Home, Reed; First, Wegner; Second, Reynolds; Third, Williams, C. 3:12. A 39,168 Two new casinos have opened downtown and a third is planned. And Compuware, a computer software and services company, plans an $800 million headquarters downtown as well, bringing about 8,000 jobs with it.

"Detroit is not a home-run city. But we know we can win a lot of games with singles and doubles," said Gene Miller, chief executive officer of Comerica the banking company that paid for the ballpark's naming rights. Just hours before the game, groundskeepers scrambled to clear a layer of snow and put the final touches on the park. Former Tigers manager Sparky Anderson greeted fans and signed autographs outside. season and struggled in spring training.

"I haven't done anything like that in a while so it felt good." Moehler kept the Tigers in front, surviving several early jams as he stranded six Mariner runners in the first three innings. He also was the beneficiary of a huge defensive play by first baseman Tony Clark in the sixth inning. With the Tigers leading 4-2, Seattle had runners on first and second with nobody out, when Mark McLe-more hit a line drive to Clark's right. The 6-foot-7 Clark dived to make the catch and then tagged out Carlos Guillen, who had started away from first, for a double play. "When I shook his hand at the end of the ballgame, I told him it was the play of the day." Tigers manager Phil Garner said.

"It turned the game around, certainly." Seattle got single runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings. Guillen drove in Dan Wilson with a double in the fourth and John Olerud scored in the fifth when Encarnacion misplayed Jay Buhner's single All Prolines sags Shoes Clubs Worldwide Mail Order (517) 482-8842 700 N. Pennsylvania Lansing Corner of Saginaw Pennsylvania LansingStateJournal.com Mi ninniin 4C nil 17 JiM Continued FROM 1C in the bottom of the first inning. After Luis Polonia tripled to the gap in left-center field, Jefferies brought him home just two pitches later with a line single to right. Jefferies, who is replacing Easley, was making his first start at second base since Aug.

31, 1991 with the New York Mets. Along with his two hits, Jefferies was flawless in the field. "I got out there and I thought, 'I remember he said. "I actually wanted balls hit to me, and I was a little surprised at that." Jefferies pushed the lead to 2-0 later in the first inning when he scored on a bases-loaded balk by Seattle starter and loser Freddie Garcia (1-1). The lead jumped to 4-0 in the second when Higginson drove in Juan Encarnacion and Polonia with a triple up the gap in right-center field.

"I was starting to hear a few boos after I flew out the first time, so I wanted to get them back on my side," said Higginson. who hit just .239 last Qj tow Cwpk The Finest Human Hair Available The Latest in the World of Non-Surgical Skin Graft Technology Call Today For Your FREE Brochure Another Look Hair Institute 1020 E. Saginaw Lansing (517) 484-5062 1-800-533-0866 FINAL DAY! TODAY ONLY! to center for a two-base error. It was Encarnacion's third error in just seven games. The Tigers upped their lead to 5-2 in the sixth on Jefferies' second RBI single.

From there, the Detroit bullpen took over. Relievers Danny Patterson, Doug Brocail and Todd Jones blanked the Mariners the rest of the way on two hits. Jones picked up his second save. STATE OF MICHIGAN, PROBATE COURT, COUNTY OF INGHAM. NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION, Independent Probate.

FILE NO. 00-564- IE. Estate of makgakei k. uusuim. Deceased.

SS 372-44-1337. TO ALL iNTFRESTED PERSONS: Your inter est in the estate may be barred or affected by the following: The dece-rinnt. whrup last known address was 4101 Devonshire, Lansing, Ml 48910 died 12800. Creditors of the deceased are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless nracontnH tn tho iniipopnrlpnt Dersonal representative, Tracey L. Suarez, 5954 Park Lake Koaa, uam, nu 4obuo, or iu both the independent personal repre-cantntiua nnei thp inahom County Pro bate Court, Mason, Ml 48854, within 4 months of the date of publication ot this notice.

Notice is further given that octnta will hp thereafter assigned and distributed to the persons entitled to it. Attorney Laurin' C. Roberts Tho mas P45515, 6500 Mercantile, suite Lansing, Ml 48911, (517) 88-zhj. 4-. i-iiiitilMip caps BLOW OUT SALE DOES NOT INCLUDE SPORTSWON fPv Jt-shirt Mi LiM w-i ifW MSU Sports right where you expect.

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