Yankees And Tigers Stage A Marathon From Wire Reports

American League

After 26 innings, 770 pitches and nearly 9 hours on the field, the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees finished up all even.

In a doubleheader that lasted long enough to be a tripleheader, the teams split Monday night. The Tigers took the opener 4-3 in 17 innings before Hideki Irabu pitched the Yankees to a 4-3 win in the second game.

The final out came at 1:17 a.m. Because the Tigers were making their final trip to Yankee Stadium, the A.L. curfew of 1 a.m. was waived well before the first game ended.

Joe Randa’s RBI single with two outs in the 17th ended the longest game for both teams since 1988. It took 5 hours, 50 minutes and was the lengthiest game in the majors this season, 1 minute more than Toronto and Baltimore took on June 19.

Irabu (9-3) beat the Tigers for the third time this season. He left after Bobby Higginson’s two-run homer into the upper deck in right in the eighth inning, and Mariano Rivera got his 25th save.

Derek Jeter hit an RBI single in the third off Bryce Florie (5-4) and the Yankees never trailed in the second game. Jeter went 6 for 12 for the day and rookie Homer Bush had a career-high three hits in the second game.

Tigers leadoff man Brian Hunter, however, went 0 for 13. He set a major league record for most at-bats without a hit in a doubleheader, breaking the mark of 12 last done by Washington’s Bob Saverine in 1966.

Indians 5, White Sox 4 Chicago

Jim Thome homered and Cleveland overcame homers by Albert Belle and Frank Thomas as the Indians split their four-game series with Chicago.

Thome’s 26th homer helped the Indians to just their second win in seven games.

Bartolo Colon (10-5) allowed four runs and seven hits in 7-1/3 innings.

Belle charged with battery

Chicago White Sox outfielder Albert Belle was charged with domestic battery for allegedly hitting a woman and then ripping her phone from the wall as she tried to call for help.

Stephanie Bugusky, 25, won a temporary order of protection against Belle at a hearing Monday. He was released on a $3,000 signature bond and was at Comiskey Park a few hours later.

Belle was charged with domestic battery, criminal damage to property and interfering with a report of domestic battery, said Bob Benjamin, a spokesman for the Cook County state’s attorney. He had initially been charged with simple battery and was released late Sunday after posting $100 bail.

The charges are Class A misdemeanors with penalties of up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine for each count.

“Albert’s assured me that there’s no merit to the charges brought against him here today. He has full confidence in the legal system and we’re confident that he’s going to be vindicated in this matter,” said Nick Zagotta, Belle’s attorney.

Ron Schueler, White Sox general manager and senior vice president, said Belle notified the team Sunday night.

“Albert said there is no validity to the charge,” Schueler said. “Based on that information, the organization will not take any action at this time.”