Second game with catcher's interference plays factor asTwins lose

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- An umpire told rookie catcher Matt LeCroy he might get more calls if he scooted up some, and he was absolutely right.

LeCroy has been called for catcher's interference in consecutive games, leading to big innings for the Detroit Tigers, who capitalized for a 10-8 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.

The Tigers scored five runs in the seventh after LeCroy was called for interference shortly after Jacque Jones put the Twins ahead 7-4 with a three-run homer off Hideo Nomo.

On Thursday night, LeCroy's interference led to a three-run sixth inning in Minnesota's 8-6 loss to Detroit.

''I just got to scoot back,'' LeCroy said.

Bobby Higginson, who homered in the fourth two pitches after LeCroy lost track of his foul ball that hit a speaker, lined out to first, but was awarded the base because he hit LeCroy's mitt during his swing.

That loaded the bases with nobody out.

''This has definitely been two of the strangest nights I can remember,'' Higginson said. ''How often do you see catcher's interference -- ever? To have it happen twice in two nights is incredible.''

Doesn't LeCroy know it.

''Catcher's interference on back-to-back nights? I can't believe it,'' said LeCroy, who hit a solo home run in the second. ''Obviously, the glove's in the way.''

After the call, Hector Carrasco (3-2) gave up an RBI groundout to Gregg Jefferies and threw a wild pitch that plated another run, making it 7-6. Travis Miller came on and surrendered RBI singles to Deivi Cruz, Wendell Magee and Brad Ausmus, giving Detroit a 9-7 lead.

LeCroy's blunder Thursday night had Twins manager Tom Kelly keeping a close eye on his youngster behind the plate and he said he noticed him getting too close just before the interference call.

''They say if you stay in the game long enough, you're going to see just about everything,'' Kelly said. ''We've seen it two days in a row. That's got to be some kind of record. Who would you call?''

Elias Sports Bureau, baseball's official statistician?

''No,'' Kelly said. ''This has got to be some kind of world record.''

The Guinness Book of World Records, then?

''Yeah,'' Kelly said. ''Go right to the top.''

Kelly said he was going to have another chat with LeCroy, who said that wasn't necessary because he already backed up.

Minnesota pulled to 9-8 in the seventh on Butch Huskey's RBI groundout. But Juan Gonzalez, who broke out of a slump with three hits, hit an RBI double off Johan Santana in the ninth.

Danny Patterson (1-0) won for the first time since last Aug. 10, even though he allowed one run and three hits in two-thirds of an inning. Todd Jones pitched the ninth for his seventh save.

Higginson pulled Detroit to 3-2 with a two-run homer off Sean Bergman in the fourth after LeCroy lost his foul ball behind home plate, when it bounced off an overhanging speaker and landed a few feet from him.

''I had no clue where it was,'' LeCroy said.

The ball, not his glove.

Notes: Juan Encarnacion's seventh-inning single extended his hitting streak to 17 games, longest in the majors. ... Tigers 3B Dean Palmer and manager Phil Garner return tonight from their eight-game suspensions for brawling with the White Sox last month. ... Cristian Guzman tripled for the third time in four games for Minnesota.

Detroit 000 202 501 -- 10 14 0

Minnesota 111 103 100 -- 8 11 2

Nomo, DPatterson (6), Poole (7), MJAnderson (7), Brocail (8), TBJones (9) and Ausmus; Bergman, Carrasco (6), TEMiller (7), Santana (8) and Lecroy, Jensen (). W--DPatterson 1-0. L--Carrasco 3-2. Sv--TBJones (7). HRs--Detroit, Higginson (3). Minnesota, Lecroy (2), JJones (5).