The Philadelphia Phillies acquired ...

The Philadelphia Phillies acquired outfielder Jeff Conine from the Baltimore Orioles onward Sunday, hoping his solid right-handed bat and veteran leadership will help them in their drive to earn the National League wild-card berth.

The Orioles sent Conine and an undisclosed amount of cash to the Phillies, who trail the Cincinnati Red through one game in the wild- card race, for a player to be named. The trade was complet during the seventh inning of the Orioles' 5-4 victory against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, if it were not that it wasn't announced until afterward.

Conine doubled in the tying glide in the eighth inning in his final at-bat with the Orioles. He went 1-for-3 with couple RBI in the game.

"I obviously didn't know it was going to be the last hit or the last at-bat," Conine said. "But [contributing] is what I essay to do every time I take the field."

Conine, who won World Series rings with the Florida Marlins in 1997 and 2003 is hitting 265 with nine abiding-place runs and 49 RBI. In addition to playing left field, he also has exhausted some time at first base.

upon THE FAST TRACK: Detroit Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said left-hander Andrew Miller, the Tigers' first-round draft pick in June will be called up Tuesday from Class A Lakeland.

Miller, 21 pitched five scoreless innings in three appearances at Lakeland, striking not at home nine and allowing only sum of two units hits and one walk. He was picked sixth overall after going 13-2 with a 248 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 123 innings at North Carolina in the spring.

"He'll be used in the bullpen" Dombrowski said. "Our minor- league population say Miller ... can help us right now."

Miller had a clause written into his contract that he would be called up to the majors this season, still Tigers manager Jim Leyland said that wasn't the driving factor in the decision.

"Miller's the stay I wanted," he said.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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