The Windsor Star from Windsor, Ontario, Canada • 21

Saturday, April 15. 2000 Ti ie Windsor Star B5 Baseball i 'w'iny Baseball I IIJI'IIJ MII -I EAST DIVISION Pet GB Home Away P10 BA ERA NY Yankees 9 6 3 ,667 3 0 3-3 6-3 .265 4.15 Baltimore 10 5 5 .500 l'A 5 1 0-4 5-5 .309 5.76 Boston 10 5 5 .500 I'i 3-1 2-4 5-5 .272 5.34 Toronto 11 4 7 .364 3 2-3 2-4 3-7 ,257 5.31 Tampa Bay 11 3 8 .273 4 1-5 2-3 2-8 .290 7.77 CENTRAL DIVISION Cleveland 10 7 3 ,700 0-1 7-2 7-3 ,272 4.30 Kansas Citv 12 8 4 ,667 6-1 2-3 8-2 .,299 4.97 Chicago Sox 11 7 4 ,636 1-0 6-4 7-3 .328 5,56 Detroit 10 4 6 400 3 3 1 1-5 4-6 ,252 4.07 Minnesota 12 4 8 .333 4 3-2 1-6 3-7 .288 7.32 WEST DIVISION Seattle 10 6 4 .600 4 2 2-2 6-4 .256 3.38 Anaheim 10 5 5 .500 1 5-4 0-1 5-5 ,292 4,65 Texas 10 5 5 .500 1 4-3 1-2 5-5 .287 5.11 Oakland 10 4 6 .400 2 3-6 1-0 4-6 .218 4.20 3 jfi jt UvO THURSDAY RESULTS Tampa Bay 6 Chicago Sox 5(12) Kansas City 6 Baltimore 5 Boston 4 Minnesota 3 Detroit 2 Seattle 0 New York Yankees 5 Texas 1. FRIDAY RESULTS Texas 7 Cleveland 2 Oakland 13 Boston 6 Chicago White Sox 9 Anaheim 4 Detroit 10 Tampa Bay 5 Seattle 11 Toronto 9 New York Yankees 7 Kansas City 5 Minnesota 10 Baltimore 9. Gonzalez hits first home run to lead Tigers Clark also connects in 10-5 win The Associated Press DETROIT Juan Gonzalez has taken just two nights to win over Detroit Tigers fans. Gonzalez hit the first home run in Comerica Park history and Tony Clark also homered as the Tigers beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 10-5 Friday night.

Gonzalez's three-run homer in a four-run third was the first in four games at the Tigers' new home. Of the 13 other major league ballparks that opened since 1989, none took more than three games for its first long ball "It's exciting for me. The first home run in Comerica Park and we win. It's very important," Gonzalez said. I "Everyone was waiting for the first home run in the park.

It's special." It was also important for Tigers management, who traded six players to Texas for Gonzalez, a potential free agent after this season. Fans were turning against the trade when Gonzalez, nursing a sore hamstring, made only one start in Detroit's first eight games. But he returned to the lineup Thursday and had an RBI double that led to a 2-0 win over Seattle. He added two more doubles Friday, leaving him 5-for-7 with a homer, three doubles and four RBIs the last two nights. "Juan changes the complexion of the lineup," teammate Brad Ausmus said.

"When you put him in the middle of the lineup it forces managers to think ahead and behind him." Ausmus hit an RBI single in the third that left two aboard for Gonzalez, who hit a low 1-1 changeup from Devil Rays starter Ryan Rupe on a line into the left field seats. "When he hit that the whole complexion of the game changed," Tigers manager Phil Garner said. "He makes a big difference, and it was borne out again tonight." Rupe said he left the pitch too high. "I was going to walk him or have him chase bad pitches," Rupe said. "The pitch he hit was supposed to be a changeup in the dirt.

It wasn't, and you saw how he hit it." The Tigers have won two straight for the first time this season and three of their first four at Comerica Park. C.J. Nitkowski (1-2) allowed four runs and eight hits in seven innings. Gerald Williams hit a three-run homer for Tampa Bay Today's American League Games Montreal Expos' Jose Vidro (3) Is about to be tagged out at home by Philadelphia Phillies catcher Mike Lieberthal In the first Inning Friday In Philadelphia. The play came on a single by Vladimir Guerrero.

The Expos won 4-0. ap photo Rocky start beats Jays Las Vegas Pro-Line Spread Probable Pitchers $5 Line No OU KC(Rosadol-0L)at Oak (Hudson 1-0 R) at Bos (P.Mrtinez 2-0 R), 1:05. Tex (Clark 1-0 R) at 15 2.45 1.30 10.5 Cle (Colon 2-0 R), 1:05. Ana (BottenfieldO-1 R) at FOXCH Sea (Halama 1-0 L) at 21 1.95 1.45 10.5 Tor (Halladay 1-1 TB(Gooden0-0R)at 16 1.95 1.45 10.5 Pet (Weaver 0-0 R), 5:05. Ral (Mprrprlesl-ORlat MSC Min (Bergman 0-0 R), 7:05.

SUNDAY GAMES Kansas City at New York Yankees, 1:05 p.m.; Texas at Cleveland, 1:05 p.m.; Seattle at Toronto, 1:05 p.m.; Tampa Bay at Detroit, 1:05 p.m.; Oakland at Boston, 1:05 p.m.; Baltimore at Minnesota, 2:05 p.m.; Anaheim at Chicago White Sox, 2:05 p.m. Mariners score six in first-inning rally The Associated Press TORONTO David Wells said a stiff back was the reason for one of the worst starts of his career. Manager Jim Fregosi disagreed. Edgar Martinez hit a three-run homer as the Seattle Mariners scored six runs in the first inning to knock out Wells and beat the Toronto Blue Jays 11-9 Friday night. "It just got real tight after the second NO DELIVERY ON PIZZA CONTEST TORONTO Before the Blue Jays' game against the Seattle Mariners Friday, a pizza company held a contest where if a kid caught all three fly balls hit to him, everyone in attendance would receive a coupon for a free pizza.

The kid caught the balls, but the P.A. announcer said the coupon wasn't redeemable at one of the Pizza Pizza stands in SkyDome. They're only redeemable at Pizza Pizza stores outside SkyDome. ap i rniNiHniH'H i EAST DIVISION Pet GB Home Away P10 BA ERA Florida 11 6 5 .545 4-3 2-2 5-5 .255 4.45 Montreal 11 6 5 .545 4-3 2-2 6-4 .268 4.70 Atlanta 10 5 5 .500 'A 4-2 1-3 5-5 .274 4.40 NYMets 11 5 6 .455 1 2-4 3-2 5-5 .234 3.76 Philadelphia 10 4 6 .400 l'i 2-2 2-4 4-6 .237 4.97 CENTRAL DIVISION St. Louis 10 7 3 .700 5-1 2-2 7-3 .317 5.42 Milwaukee 11 5 5 .455 2 2-2 3-4 5-5 .251 4.79 Houston 9 4 5 .444 2'i 2-4 2-1 4-5 .221 5.29 Chicago Cubs 12 5 7 .417 3 3-2 2-5 4-6 .240 5.74 Pittsburgh 10 4 6 .400 3 3-4 1-2 4-6 .271 4.32 Cincinnati 11 4 6 .364 3 3-4 1-3 4-6 .265 5.23 WEST DIVISION Arizona 10 7 3 .700 5-1 2-2 7-3 .251 3.16 Los Angeles 10 7 3 .700 1-0 6-3 7-3 .276 4.60 Colorado 10 5 5 .500 2 3-1 2-4 5-5 .280 5.13 San Diego 10 5 5 .500 2 2-2 3-3 5-5 .264 3.96 San Francisco 10 3 7 .300 4 0-3 3-4 3-7 .259 5.59 batter and I was fighting it," Wells said.

"After that I was making bad pitched TIGERS SET MARK FOR SEASON TICKET SALES DETROIT The Detroit Tigers have set a franchise record for season ticket sales with more than 17,000 sold, 5,500 more than the record set last year, the team announced Friday. The record was set even though the average cost of a ticket increased 103 percent this season, from an average of $12.23 at Tiger Stadium last year to $24.83 at Comerica Park. The Tigers said they have sold 1.75 million tickets so far this season, surpassing the year-end total for nine of the past 11 seasons. The team record for ticket sales was 2,704,794 in 1984, when the Tigers last won the World Series. The Tigers sold 2,026,441 tickets last season, the most they had sold Since 1988.

Associated Press "It was location." Martinez didn't notice anything wrong with Wells. "He didn't act like it was hurting," Martinez said. "His location was off." The only previous time he was knocked out that quickly came April 18, 1996, when he allowed seven runs in the first inning against Oakland. "When I came to the clubhouse I was locked pretty good," said Wells. "The stiffness wasn't shooting down, so hopefully that's all it was, a little up in the zone." Wells, who shut out Texas in his last start, matched the shortest outing of his career.

He gave up consecutive singles before Martinez hit a 426-foot homer to give Seattle a 3-0 lead. After a walk and a single, Dan Wilson hit another three-run homer. Wells (1-1) walked straight to the clubhouse after ending the bottom of the inning with a strikeout. "His back bothered him against Texas and it bothered him tonight, but that wasn't the problem," Fregosi said. FRIDAY RESULTS Florida 9 Chicago Cubs 4 Los Angeles 8 Cincinnati 1 Atlanta 6 Milwaukee 3 Montreal 4 Philadelphia 0 New York Mets 8 Pittsburgh 5 St.

Louis at Colorado Houston at San Diego Arizona at San Francisco. THURSDAY RESULTS Chicago Cubs 3 Atlanta 2 Arizona 5 San Diego 4 New York Mets 2 Philadelphia 1 Pittsburgh 4 Montreal 3 Milwaukee 4 Florida 0 Colorado 12 St. Louis 6 L.A.6San Francisco 5 (gml) L.A. 11 San Francisco 7 (gm2). Today's National League Games I JCi S3 Jim Whitfield Sales Representative 948-8171 TCI1 WITH THE Clio" LlJl BESTSELLERS Tthe' Las Vegas Pro-Line Spread Probable Pitchers $5 Line No OU NYM(Rusch0-0L)at Pit (Anderson O-OL), 1:35.

Atl (Millwood 0-0 R) at TBS Mil (Haynes 2-0 R), 2:05. Fla (Dempster 1-1 R) at FSFL Chi Cubs (DwnsO-OL), 2:20. WGN St.L (Jenkins 2-0 R) at KWGN Col (Arrojo 1-0 R), 3:05. Arz(Stottlemyre2-0R)at San Fran (Ortiz 1-1 Mon (Irabu 1-1 R) at 23 2.45 1.30 8.5 Phi (AshbyQ-1 R), 7:05. Cin(NeagleO-OL)at FOXW2 24 1.60 1.80 8.5 LA (Gagne 0-0 R), 8:10.

BUCWNGHAMESS I 7701 tartar Urn Um (MM fin CmAOj GUERRERO PACES EXPOS PHILADELPHIA Dustin Hermanson pitched his second career shutout and Vladimir Guerrero hit his fifth home run of the season as the Montreal Expos defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 4-0 Friday night. Hermanson (1-1) gave up six hits in his first shutout since July 15, 1997, against Florida. He allowed only one hit after the second inning. Guerrero has feasted at Veterans Stadium throughout his career. After going 2-for-3 in the win, he is 20-for-53 (.377) with six home runs and 13 RBIs in Philadelphia.

He also made a strong throw to cut down a Phillies threat. Guerrero hit a upper-deck home run to left-centre field to give Montreal a 1-0 lead in the fourth. Mike Mordecai homered in the fifth and Rondell White connected in the sixth. Guerrero almost homered again In the sixth, but centre-fielder Kevin Sefcik caught it at the fence. Rico Brogna doubled to lead off the Phillies second and tried to advance on Mike Lieberthal's fly ball to right.

But Guerrero, off-balance and falling backwards, made a perfect throw to third to get him. The next two Phillies singled but were Stranded. Associated Press Hou (Lima 1-1 R) at 25 1.45 1.95 9.5 SD (Williams 1-1 R), 10:05. SUNDAY GAMES New York Mets at Pittsburgh, 1:35 p.m.; Montreal at Philadelphia, 1:35 p.m.; Atlanta at Milwaukee, 2:05 p.m.; Florida at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m.; St. Louis at Colorado, 3:05 p.m.; Houston at San Diego, 4:05 p.m.; Cincinnati at Los Angeles, 4:10 p.m.; Arizona at San Fran, 8:05 p.m.

DaimlerChrysler Canada CONGRATULATES GIL VALLEY of Windsor Chrysler kkir INCOME TAX FOOD SERVICES INC0ME TAX Your home or mine CALL KEN 253-5686 UMtjartte jk SET i i FOOD SERVICES Juice Sale VALENTINE IN TROUBLE: Mets general manager Steve Phillips said he was "surprised and furious" Friday that manager Bobby Valentine criticized the team's front office during a discussion with students at the Wharton School of Business. Phillips flew to Pittsburgh to talk to Valentine, but said he didn't plan to fire him. Valentine said he thought his comments with the University of Penn-sylvania students were off the record. Valentine told the group that the Mets spent too much money to sign Todd Zeile, that he couldn't bench Derek Bell because of his salary and that the Mets shouldn't have gotten rid of Masato Yoshil. TRIUMPHANT RETURN: Orel Her-shiser, star of the 1988 World Series, made a triumphant return to Dodger Stadium Friday.

Hershiser, back with Los Angeles after a five-year absence, pitched six strong innings as the Dodgers beat Cincinnati 8-1 in their home opener. LLOYD REJOINQ EXPOS: Graeme Lloyd returned to the Montreal Expos Friday night for the first time since the death of his wife Cindy April 3. Lloyd was already on the disabled list with left shoulder tendinitis when Cindy died because of complications with Crohn's disease. He returned to his home in Tampa, after her death and has not thrown a baseball since. The Expos chose to have him rehab with the team rather than In extended spring training to help provide a support 9ystem.

With the team, he will begin a throwing program but is expected to be sidelined for 10-14 more days. ap -rvvj i Lr4tftGucnie 2S1M14 ItXIHrtMtIM 473ml 12 call 252, 5414 1030ydkerRoad $3.99 on his recent appointment to the DaimlerChrysler Canada Sales Guild Senate. Gil has earned this prestigious appointment through a record of outstanding sales performance, overall professionalism and a dedication to customer satisfaction. We invite you to drop in at Windsor Chrysler to visit Gil Valley, or call (519)979-9900 and see for yourself why we're as proud of our great people as we are of our great products. iwjii g-'OfF SEX 5 mmmww wow msmr mmm.