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August 15, 2002
Angels survive Tigers' mixup
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Angels made Detroit's batting out of order moot, rallying behind Scott Spiezio's three RBIs and a tiebreaking double by pinch-hitter Darin Erstad to beat the Tigers 5-4 Wednesday night.
Bobby Higginson and Shane Halter homered for Detroit, and Brandon Inge, who never batted the first time through the lineup, hit a run-scoring double to stake left-hander Mike Maroth to a 3-0 lead through 31/2.
According to the Detroit lineup that was exchanged before the game, Brandon Inge was supposed to bat eighth and Chris Truby ninth. But Truby batted after No. 7 hitter Shane Halter and struck out to end the second.
Inge did not lead off the third, though his name was announced by the public address announcer. Hiram Bocachica struck out, then No. 2 hitter Damian Jackson grounded out. Higginson, scheduled to bat fourth in the inning, then homered to centerfield.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia pointed out the lineup mixup to first-base umpire Gary Darling and the rest of his crew after the second and again before the third and protested the game. Scioscia came out again after Bocachica batted and again protested.
The protest became moot when the Angels scored four in the sixth to take the lead for good at 5-4.
YANKEES 3, ROYALS 2 (14): Bernie Williams hit a run-scoring single in the 14th inning as visiting New York overcame Mike Sweeney's straight steal of home.
Alfonso Soriano singled with one out in the 14th off Blake Stein and moved to third on Jason Giambi's two-out single. Williams followed with a single.
Sweeney had the most exciting play when he stole home in the sixth to give the Royals a 2-1 lead. Carlos Beltran and Sweeney doubled off Andy Pettitte to make it 1-1. Joe Randa's sacrifice bunt moved Sweeney to third.
With two outs and a 1-and-2 count on lefty Aaron Guiel, Sweeney surprised the left-handed Pettitte, who was holding the ball on the mound, by taking off and sliding in ahead of the throw.
Raul Mondesi scored on Shane Spencer's sacrifice fly in the seventh to tie it at 2.
RED SOX 12, MARINERS 5: Trot Nixon homered twice for visiting Boston. The Red Sox homered four times, with Nixon hitting a solo shot in the fourth as they tied it at 3 and a two-run homer during Boston's seven-run sixth.
Derek Lowe earned his fifth consecutive victory to become the AL's first 17-game winner.
After giving up a home run to Edgar Martinez during the third, Lowe retired 11 consecutive batters before Jeff Cirillo singled to start the seventh.
ORIOLES 6, TWINS 5 (14): Geronimo Gil hit his first homer since June18 in the 14th to lift visiting Baltimore.
Down 4-3, Baltimore scored twice in the ninth. With one out in the bottom half, Jacque Jones reached on second baseman Jerry Hairston's two-base throwing error. He advanced to third on Cristian Guzman's flyout and scored on Corey Koskie's single off Jorge Julio.
A'S 4, BLUE JAYS 2: Eric Chavez hit a three-run homer, Billy Koch reached 30 saves for the fourth consecutive season and host Oakland won its second straight against Toronto after a five-game losing streak to the Blue Jays.
RANGERS 11, WHITE SOX 6: Rafael Palmeiro hit a three-run homer and Herbert Perry added a two-run shot to back starter Ismael Valdes for host Texas. Alex Rodriguez had an RBI to give him 100 for the fifth consecutive season.