Tigers 2, White Sox 1
Tigers 2, White Sox 1: Doug Fister allowed one run over eight innings and Austin Jackson homered as host Detroit sent Chicago to its eighth consecutive loss.
Fister (10-5) scattered seven hits to match his win total from last season as the Tigers earned their sixth straight victory and moved three games up on Cleveland atop the American league Central. Prince Fielder collected a pair of hits and scored while Jose Iglesias - acquired from Boston Red Sox on Tuesday - made his Tigers’ debut and drove in a run.
Hector Santiago (3-7), who has received two runs or fewer of support in each of his last six outings, took another hard-luck loss despite yielding two runs on six hits over seven frames. Alex Rios and Adam Dunn had two singles apiece for the White Sox (40-67), who fell 27 games under .500 for the first time since 1976.
Detroit broke the scoreless tie in the fourth as Fielder opened the frame with a double, moved to third on a flyout from Victor Martinez and scored two batters later on Iglesias’ two-out single to right field. Jackson added to the lead in the fifth when he belted a 1-1 changeup from Santiago into the Chicago bullpen.
The White Sox scratched across their only run in the sixth when Alexei Ramirez doubled with two outs and Rios followed with a RBI single to center. Joaquin Benoit worked around a two-out walk to Rios in the ninth for his 11th save in as many chances.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Detroit 3B Miguel Cabrera (hip, abdominal strain) was scratched from the lineup and did not play for the sixth time in nine games. The Tigers are 8-1 over that stretch. … Chicago has scored a total of 10 runs in Santiago’s last six starts. … Eight of Jackson’s 37 career home runs have come against the White Sox, three more than he has against any other opponent.