Fryman Lifts Tribe To Win Over Tigers

Travis Fryman has officially become a member of Cleveland's Comeback Kids.

Fryman led off the bottom of the 11th inning with his 21st home run Friday night to give newcomer Steve Reed and the Cleveland Indians a 2-1 win over the Detroit Tigers.

It was the Indians' 11th win in their final at-bat and fourth won in that fashion with a homer at Jacobs Field. Cleveland has 30 come-from-behind wins this season.

"With a 3-1 count I was going to take a good rip," said Fryman, who was mobbed by teammates bashing him over the head at home plate.

"I don't really like that, but I'll live with it," Fryman said after hitting the 3-1 pitch from Doug Bochtler (0-1) 398 feet into the left-field stands for his third hit of the game against his former team.

"The Tigers are the only other team I look at on the scoreboard," Fryman said. "This is our third series we've played them so I'm getting used to them being no different from other teams."

Reed (1-0) struck out three in two scoreless innings in his AL debut. The side-arming reliever, acquired late Thursday in a five-player deal with the San Francisco Giants, was helped in the 10th by a double play turned by Omar Vizquel.

Joe Randa reached on a one-out infield single and was running when Paul Bako hit a high chopper over the mound. Vizquel gloved it on the first-base side of second, lunged to tag Randa and threw to first for the double play.

Tigers manager Buddy Bell mildly protested the out call at second by umpire Ken Kaiser, claiming Vizquel missed the tag.

"I did," Vizquel said. "The ump said Randa was out of the baseline."

It was Reed's first glimpse of Vizquel's fielding artistry.

"He made a great play to help me," said Reed, who arrived at Jacobs Field five minutes before the game began.

"It was a long day, flying all day from the West Coast. But what a great ending. I'm excited to be able to contribute right out of the chute.

"I liked it in San Francisco, but I just picked up 22 games in the standings so I'm excited."

Cleveland starter Dave Burba, winless since July 1, outlasted Tigers left-hander Jason Thompson, winner of three in a row.

Burba yielded one run, seven hits and one walk over nine innings, striking out five.

Thompson allowed one run, eight hits and five walks over seven innings, striking out four.

Jim Thome flashed some uncharacteristic speed to help Cleveland take a 1-0 lead in the fourth. The slugging first baseman singled to center and stole second his first steal since May 21, 1997.

Fryman then walked and both runners advanced on a wild pitch by Thompson. Mark Whiten grounded out to shortstop, scoring Thome.

Luis Gonzalez hit his 14th homer over te fence in center with one out in the seventh to tie it at 1.

"Burba pitched a great game, he really kept us off balance," Gonzalez said. "I was ahead in the count and he put a fastball out over the plate. We were lucky I got that one up in the air and out."

Burba got Gonzalez on a called third strike to end the ninth.

"With Luis and I it's usually do or die," Burba said. "We've both had success against one another. Obviously he got me earlier."

Detroit's Damion Easley went 0-for-5, snapping his career-high hitting streak at 19. He came close to extending it in the sixth, when third baseman Fryman ranged far to his left to take away a possible single. Fryman made another nice play of a sharp grounder hit by Easley leading off the ninth.

Notes: