National Sports Davis hits two home runs to lift Giants over Rangers; Mariners roundup

Ashland Daily Tidings (Ashland, OR — Wayback)

2002-03-29

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--> --> Davis hits two home runs to lift Giants over Rangers; Mariners roundup ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Eric Davis might not get as many chances to play, but he still knows how to contribute. Davis, starting just his 20th game this season, had a two-run homer and five RBIs as the San Francisco Giants beat the Texas Rangers 10-2 Tuesday night. "If I didn't feel like I could contribute, I wouldn't be here. I would be the first to go home," Davis said. "I know I can still contribute. It's a matter of getting an opportunity, and getting yourself mentally and physically into the game." The 39-year-old Davis, in his 18th major league season, had just one homer and nine RBIs his first 39 games with the Giants. He joined San Francisco as a free agent last winter and has been limited because of a shoulder injury, playing primarily against left-handed pitchers. "He's been chomping at the bit to play and produce," Giants manager Dusty Baker said. "He hasn't played that much and it's tough to get going, especially when we're not seeing many lefties." After beating Kenny Rogers (5-7) on Tuesday, the Giants face another left-hander in Mike Hampton of Colorado on Wednesday. Baker said Davis will probably get his second start in a row. Kirk Rueter (9-6) won his fifth straight decision after Davis and Rich Aurilia hit two-run homers in the first to give him a 4-0 lead before even taking the mound. "I tried to go out and pitch like it's 0-0, because you can't start throwing fastballs to those guys," Rueter said. Rueter, whose previous win was June 17 against Oakland, allowed two runs and six hits in 6 2-3 innings. He has given up two earned runs or fewer in seven straight starts. "I'm just concentrating on being aggressive at the start of a count," he said. "I got in trouble early in the season getting behind 1-0, 2-0 and thinking I had to throw a fastball right down the middle." Barry Bonds was 1-for-2 with two walks, increasing his major league-leading total to 94. He was 1-for-7 with six walks in the three-game series. Bonds has just one homer the past 19 games, leaving him with 40 in 94 games - matching Mark McGwire's total after the same number of games in 1998, when he hit a record 70. If Bonds fails to homer Wednesday, he would fall behind McGwire's pace for the first time since he hit nine homers in six games from May 17-22. After homering off Rogers in the first, Davis was credited with an RBI in the third when he reached on an error and then hit a two-run double in the fifth. Mariners 6, Diamondbacks 1 Ichiro Suzuki is talking to the Japanese media again and his hitting slump apparently is over, too. Only he doesn't think he was in a hitting slump. Suzuki went 2-for-4, his major league-leading 44th multihit game, and the Seattle Mariners won another series Tuesday with a 6-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. "Of course, if I don't get a hit in so many at-bats, everybody starts talking," Suzuki said. "This will at least stop the questions." Suzuki and countryman Kazuhiro Sasaki ended their short boycott of Japanese reporters after Monday night's game. They quit talking to the Japanese media Thursday night because paparazzi from Japan have been going to their residences in the Seattle area. Despite the ban, the Japanese paparazzi still kept coming to their homes, Sasaki said. Suzuki singled in the first inning, when the Mariners scored two runs, to end an 0-for-18 slump. He doubled in the ninth, when the Mariners broke the game open with three runs. With Bret Boone and David Bell hitting home runs, Paul Abbott (8-2) won his career-best sixth straight decision. Abbott allowed one run and six hits in 6 1-3 innings, struck out seven and walked three. His previous best was five straight wins, from Aug. 21 to Oct. 2, 1999, with Minnesota. "It's great to win six in a row, but it's also great to come to the clubhouse every day," Abbott said. "It's just a professional team. It comes to play every day." Bell hit a solo homer off Brian Anderson (2-6) for a 3-0 lead in the seventh, and Boone hit a two-run homer off Erik Sabel in a three-run eighth. Boone drove in three runs. Anderson, who gave up five runs and 10 hits in 7 1-3 innings, was impressed by the Mariners. "It is a constant battle with them," he said. "They don't try to do too much." With 2 2-3 innings, Seattle's bullpen extended its scoreless streak to 19 innings since the All-Star break. The Mariners were 4-2 in the homestand and improved to 67-26, baseball's best record. The went 12-6 in interleague play. "I'd say 12-6 is very good," said Boone, who spent seven seasons in the National League. "We just went out and beat the team with the best record over there. Anderson pitched a great game, but Abbott pitched a little better." Seattle took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Suzuki singled, took third on Carlos Guillen's double and scored on Boone's single. Mike Cameron added a sacrifice fly. Suzuki doubled in the eighth and scored on Guillen's single. Arizona scored its run in the sixth on singles by Matt Williams, Mark Grace and Erubiel Durazo. Williams said the Mariners have a chance to win the World Series in October. "They have everything they need to be a championship club; starting pitching, a great bullpen," he said. "They do things right. Lou Piniella's clubs always have. They always do the little things, whatever needs to be done." After going hitless for four straight games, Suzuki was given the day off in right field and replaced the injured Edgar Martinez at designated hitter. Suzuki stole his 31st base, tops in the American League. Notes: Suzuki leads the majors with 137 hits. He's 3-for-24 for the second half of the season. ... Abbott's last loss came May 22, a 12-11 defeat at Minnesota. ... The Diamondbacks were 7-8 against AL teams. ... The Diamondbacks' Luis Gonzalez was 0-4 and went 1-for-11 in the series. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing