Tigers 9, White Sox 2
Max Scherzer outdueled Edwin Jackson in a battle of pitchers traded for one another as the Detroit Tigers routed the sinking Chicago White Sox 9-2 on Friday night at Comerica Park.
Scherzer (11-10) allowed just two hits, solo homers by Manny Ramirez and Brent Morel, while walking two and striking out 11. Scherzer was part of a three-way deal last offseason between the Tigers, New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks, where Jackson ended up after spending last season in Detroit.
After starting the season 1-4 with a 7.29 ERA in his first eight outings and being sent to the minors for two weeks, the 26-year-old has gone 10-6 with an exceptional 2.38 ERA and 147 strikeouts in 141 innings.
Chicago, which was tied for the top spot on Aug. 11 with Minnesota, remained nine games off the American League Central lead with Friday's loss.
Jackson (3-2) had a no-hitter for 5 2/3 frames and carried a 2-0 lead into the sixth, but the Tigers scored six times in the sixth and knocked Jackson out of the game. Appearing to be favoring his left leg over his last two innings, Jackson was charged with four runs and four hits with four walks in 6 1/3 innings as the Sox starters dropped to 0-8 in the last 12 starts with an ERA over 7.00
Alex Avila had a two-run double in the sixth and rookie Austin Jackson belted a two-run homer, his fourth of the season, off Scott Linebrink to cap the explosion.
Manny Ramirez hit his first homer for the White Sox to open the scoring in the fourth, ending the longest home run drought of his career at 84 at-bats.