Tigers top White Sox on Upton's 11th-inning blast
CHICAGO -- Justin Upton drilled a three-run home run in the 11th inning to power the Detroit Tigers to a 5-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Monday afternoon.
Miguel Cabrera finished 4-for-5 with two home runs as the Tigers improved to 5-3 in extra innings. Detroit (75-62) earned its sixth win in seven games.
Avisail Garcia went 3-for-5 with a double, a run and an RBI to lead the White Sox. Chicago (65-72) fell to 5-12 this season against Detroit.
Tigers right-hander Alex Wilson (2-0) earned the victory with one scoreless relief inning.
White Sox right-hander Chris Beck (1-1) sustained the loss after allowing Upton's go-ahead home run with two outs in the 11th inning. Upton hit a towering shot to right-center field for his 21st home run.
Tigers closer Francisco Rodriguez recorded the final three outs, while allowing a run, to pick up his 39th save.
Detroit right-hander Justin Verlander set a career high with his 11th consecutive quality start but did not factor into the decision. Verlander limited the White Sox to two runs on eight hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out 11 to secure his sixth career 200-strikeout season and his first since 2013.
White Sox left-hander Chris Sale also got a no-decision despite pitching at least eight innings for the fourth straight start. Sale held the Tigers to two runs on six hits in eight innings. He walked none and struck out eight before exiting the game at 118 pitches.
Detroit took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Cabrera's first blast of the game. Cabrera ripped a pitch on the outside corner to the opposite field for his 300th home run with the Tigers. He joined Al Kaline (399), Norm Cash (373) and Hank Greenberg (306) as the only players in club history to reach the milestone.
Cabrera homered again in the third inning to increase the Tigers' lead to 2-0. His shot to left-center field marked his 38th career multi-homer game and his fifth of the season.
The White Sox cut the deficit to 2-1 in the third inning. Tyler Saladino singled to drive in Garcia, who led off the inning with a double to left-center field.
Alex Avila evened the score at 2 with a solo home run in the seventh inning. Verlander threw a fastball that caught much of the plate, and Avila lined it into the left-center-field bleachers for his sixth home run.
After Upton's home run put Detroit up 5-2, the White Sox scored a run in the 11th inning to pull within two runs. Garcia drove in Todd Frazier with a single to center field.
NOTES: Detroit recalled SS Dixon Machado from Triple-A Toledo before Monday's game. Machado, 24, hit .266 with four home runs and 48 RBIs in 131 games this season with the Mud Hens. ... White Sox RHP Miguel Gonzalez will be activated from the 15-day disabled list in time to start Tuesday against Detroit, manager Robin Ventura said. Gonzalez has been out since Aug. 12 because of a strained right groin. ... Tigers 2B Ian Kinsler was held out of the starting lineup one day after a hard-hit ground ball ripped the nail off his right middle finger. He scored a run as a pinch runner. ... White Sox RHP James Shields could miss his next start because of a bad back. If Shields is unable to pitch Friday against Kansas City, RHP Anthony Ranaudo could start in his place. ... Tigers OF Cameron Maybin returned to the lineup after missing five games with an injured left thumb.