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Rondell White had been waiting for a chance to make a good impression at Comerica Park.
White hit a three-run homer off Chad Durbin in the ninth inning Saturday, giving the Detroit Tigers a 5-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians.
``That felt good, because I haven't been hitting the ball well at home this year,'' White said. ``I was just trying to hit something in the air, and I got a ball I could drive.''
Fernando Vina led off the inning with a bloop single to right off Scott Stewart (0-1), but Carlos Guillen struck out trying to bunt.
Durbin relieved and threw away a pickoff attempt for an error that advanced Vina to third. Ivan Rodriguez was intentionally walked, and White homered into the left-field stands.
Indians manager Eric Wedge said he never considered walking White to pitch to Bobby Higginson.
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``You want to have a base to play with in that situation,'' he said. ``If you
walk White, then Chad has nowhere to put Higginson. That gives too much of the
advantage to the hitter.''
White, 3-for-5 in his career against Durbin with two homers and a double, wasn't surprised that Durbin pitched to him.
``I knew they would do that,'' he said. ``They would go after me with stuff outside the strike zone and try to strike me out. I just waited for something I could hit.''
Detroit, which lost an AL-record 119 games last season, improved to 11-7. The Tigers didn't get their 11th win last season until May 23, when they were 11-35, but that team didn't have Vina, Guillen, Rodriguez or White.
``Obviously, we talk a lot about Pudge and the infielders, but if I've overlooked Rondell, I need to apologize to him,'' Tigers manager Alan Trammell said. ``It's a pleasure to be able to write the names of professional hitters into the lineup every day.''
Cleveland had loaded the bases in its half of the half of the ninth off Ugueth Urbina (1-0). Omar Vizquel and Jody Gerut drew one-out walks, and Travis Hafner was hit by the next pitch.
Matt Lawton popped out to shallow left field, and Vizquel tried to score from third, but was thrown out by Guillen.
AP - Apr 24, 4:58 pm EDT
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``I have no problem with that play,'' Wedge said. ``He's being aggressive and
try to steal a run.''
Detroit starter Nate Robertson allowed two runs, four hits and four walks in five innings, while Cleveland's Cliff Lee gave up two runs and five hits in six innings.
Detroit took a 1-0 lead in the first when Higginson walked with the bases loaded -- the third time in two days Cleveland pitchers forced home a run with a walk. The Indians walked six, a day after walking 11.
``I don't know what happened,'' said Lee, who walked five batters and hit two more. ``I was trying to throw strikes -- maybe I was trying too hard.''
The Tigers loaded the bases in the fourth, but Rodriguez grounded out.
Cleveland went ahead in the fifth on Vizquel's run-scoring infield single and Jody Gerut's RBI groundout. Matt Lawton grounded into an inning-ending 1-2-3 double play.
Detroit tied the game in the bottom half on Higginson's RBI single. Cleveland loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, Al Levine got out of the inning on two fly balls.
Gerut saved a run in the bottom of the sixth with a diving catch on Vina's line drive to right. Inge, who was on first, was pulling into third as he wasdoubled up.
Notes
The Indians called up RHP Kazuhito Tadano from Triple-A Buffalo and designated
RHP David Lee for assignment. Lee made four relief appearances for the Indians
after being called up on April 17, compiling a 10.38 ERA. ... Detroit only drew
seven bases-loaded walks last season. ... Tim Laker struck out in his first
three at-bats, while the batter behind him in the order, BenBroussard, walked
in his first three.