Wednesday, July 18, 2001
Tigers pitcher can take the heat
By JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer
Jeff Weaver's only challenge was staying dry. On a night that was about as muggy as it gets in Cincinnati, the right-hander had to repeatedly step off the rubber to wipe streams of sweat off his pitching hand. Once he got a good grip on the ball, he got the Reds out.
Weaver pitched out of a second-inning threat and retired 18 in a row on an oppressive night, leading the Detroit Tigers to a 3-1 victory Tuesday. He allowed only four singles in 7 1-3 innings before finally wilting.
“I was just happy to get that deep into the game, considering the situation,” Weaver said. “It felt like a sauna to me. I had to change my jersey and my shirt a couple of times. My jersey weighed 15 pounds by the third inning.”
His weather-beating performance gave the Tigers their second straight series win coming out of the All-Star break. A team that struggled on the road in the first half rebounded by taking two of three in St. Louis and Cincinnati.
St. Louis was a cinch compared to what the Tigers faced on Tuesday. The temperature was 87 degrees for the first pitch and the humid air clung to the skin like pine tar.
Weaver (9-8) had trouble gripping the ball because his hand was so sweaty.
“A couple of times I had to step off,” he said. “I was hoping I had a dry spot somewhere on my uniform.”
He had more worries than just the weather in the second inning, when the Reds loaded the bases with none out on a pair of singles and a walk. Weaver got Juan Castro on a called third strike, then took a deep breath.
Up next was Chris Reitsma (4-9), a .115 hitter who would go down swinging — just what Weaver wanted in the Tigers' final interleague game.
“It's a little different with the pitcher coming up instead of a designated hitter,” Weaver said. “That kept me a little loose and collected. I knew I had to face the pitcher somewhere along the line. I was happy to get the ground ball instead of a strikeout.”
Weaver threw a slider, Reitsma tapped it back to him, and the pitcher started a home-to-first double play that started his long streak perfect pitching.
The Reds didn't get another runner aboard until the eighth, when Castro got an infield single. Wilton Guerrero's single and a walk to Sean Casey loaded the bases with one out and sent Weaver to the bench.
“We had some good swings, but we were pretty easy,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “I think the heat wore him down.”
Danny Patterson gave up Michael Tucker's sacrifice fly, then got Ken Griffey Jr. to ground out. Matt Anderson gave up a couple of singles in the ninth while getting his 11th save in 12 chances.
Shane Halter and Robert Fick each had a pair of hits off Chris Reitsma (4-9) as the Tigers improved to 4-2 in two road series after the All-Star break — much better than their 2-15 road slump heading into it.
“We had such bad luck on the road in the first half. To take two series to start the second half is a big thing,” Fick said. “We hope to settle down and go back to playing the way we're capable of playing.”
Tigers Notes: CF Roger Cedeno was ejected in the second for arguing a strike call, ending his hitting streak at nine games. ... Fick apologized to manager Phil Garner for getting into an argument in the dugout over pitch selection in Monday's game. ... SS Deivi Cruz is expected to rejoin the Tigers on Wednesday from a rehab assignment with Double-A Erie. Cruz has been on the DL since June 8 with a broken left foot.
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Tigers pitcher can take the heat
