Outfielder Gary Sheffield, right, and Yankees' manager Joe Torre, left, shake hands after Sheffield was introduced as the newest Yankee during a news conference at Yankee Stadium in this Dec. 17, 2003 file photo in New York. Sheffield had an idyllic view of the Yankees when he joined the team before the 2004 season, but the Detroit Tigers slugger claims black and white players in the Yankees clubhouse were treated differently.
Detroit pitcher Andrew Miller says he pitched OK overall, but his fifth inning blip did him in Gary Sheffield stood behind his controversial comments about Joe Torre, Barry Bonds and the New York Yankees before the game, then put the focus back to his on-field performance. Sheffield hit the 12th grand slam of his career, providing all the offense Detroit starter Jeremy Bonderman needed as the Tigers beat the Seattle Mariners 6-3 on Friday night. It was a long day for Sheffield, who fielded questions before the game about his comments to HBO's Real Sports regarding the treatment of black and white players by Torre in the Yankees' clubhouse and his past relationship with Bonds.
Sheffield's slam overshadowed an outstanding performance by Bonderman. The right-hander, who grew up about 4 1/2 hours southeast of Seattle, threw just 71 pitches through six innings, and didn't face his first 3-ball count until the seventh. Bonderman (10-1) pitched seven innings, struck out five, and allowed just six hits, becoming the 12th American League pitcher to reach double-figures in victories.
Teammate Justin Verlander also has 10 wins. Todd Jones gave up two hits in the ninth before striking out pinch hitter Ben Broussard for his 23rd save in 27 opportunities. In the interview with HBO, Sheffield says the black players on the Yankees' roster would be "called out" in the clubhouse by Torre.
Sheffield also denied he ever took steroids, but admitted taking the "clear" and the "cream" - two designer steroids created by BALCO. Sheffield said he didn't know they were steroids, said he trusted and felt himself being controlled by Bonds. But, Sheffield claimed, "if I took what Barry Bonds took, why don't I look like him?
" He looked like Bonds - in terms of hitting homers - in the third inning. Sheffield took a close 1-2 pitch that home plate umpire Brian Runge said was a little low and outside. Seattle starter Jarrod Washburn then hung a breaking ball over the middle of the plate, and Sheffield hit into the Tigers' bullpen in left field.
It was Detroit's sixth grand slam this season, tied for the league lead with Milwaukee. Brandon Inge added an RBI single in the sixth off Washburn, and Sean Casey hit his second homer of the season off reliever Brandon Morrow in the seventh. Washburn (8-7) allowed just three earned runs in his last three starts and was coming off an outstanding performance against Kansas City where he shut out the Royals for eight innings and allowed just five hits.
While Washburn struck out a season-high seven, he also allowed seven hits and walked three, losing for the first time since June 17 against Houston. Washburn put himself in trouble in the third, hitting Inge, and walking Ryan Rayburn with one out. Marcus Thames loaded the bases with a single to left before Sheffield's 22nd homer of the season.
Seattle got solo homers from Jose Guillen and Adrian Beltre, and an RBI double from Jose Vidro to account for its offense. Ichiro Suzuki, who earlier in the day inked a $90 million, five-year extension with Seattle, was 1-for-4. Notes:@ Seattle's nine-game home winning streak was snapped.
It was the Mariners longest home streak since a club-record 11-game streak in 2001. Detroit traded RHP Roman Colon, recently charged in a locker room scuffle with a Triple-A teammate, to Kansas City for a player to be named. Detroit 2B Omar Infante went 0-for-4 and is hitless in his last 19 at-bats.
Outfielder Gary Sheffield, right, and Yankees' manager Joe Torre, left, shake hands after Sheffield was introduced as the newest Yankee during a news conference at Yankee Stadium in this Dec.
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