White Sox down Tigers for fifth straight win
DETROIT -- Geovany Soto smacked a go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth inning and the Chicago White Sox, aided by Detroit third baseman Nick Castellanos' three errors, won their fifth straight by downing the Tigers 7-3 on Friday night at Comerica Park.
Soto's two-out hit made a winner of Anthony Swarzak (2-0), who tossed two innings of scoreless relief.
Todd Frazier, Avisail Garcia and Tim Anderson homered for the White Sox (12-9). Garcia, the American League's leading hitter, had three hits, two runs scored and two RBIs.
Chicago starter Mike Pelfrey, released by the Tigers at the end of spring training, allowed three runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Justin Upton had a two-run single for the Tigers (11-11), who have lost three straight.
Detroit starter Matt Boyd pitched a season-high seven innings while taking a no-decision. He retired 13 of the last 14 batters he faced, with the one baserunner reaching on an error. Overall, he gave up three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts.
Following Melky Cabrera's leadoff single in the eighth off Alex Wilson (0-1), Castellanos committed fielding errors on the next two plays to load the bases. A home-to-first double play nearly allowed the Tigers to escape but, after an intentional walk, Soto drilled his single to left to give the White Sox a 5-3 lead.
Anderson smashed a two-run shot off Joe Jimenez in the ninth to make it 7-3.
Upton's looping single to right with the bases loaded gave Detroit a 2-0 lead in the first. Pelfrey minimized the damage by getting Jim Adduci to tap into an inning-ending double play with the bases still loaded.
The White Sox tied the game in the second on back-to-back homers from Frazier and Garcia. Frazier's only previous homer came on April 11 against Cleveland.
Adduci had trouble picking up Anderson's short fly to right in the third and it dropped in for a leadoff double. Anderson eventually scored on Garcia's infield hit.
The Tigers tied it at 3-all in the fifth on Victor Martinez's RBI single.
NOTES: White Sox 1B Jose Abreu was not in the lineup on Friday. Abreu suffered a mild right hip flexor strain against Kansas City on Wednesday. "We're hoping he'll be back in there (Saturday)," manager Rick Renteria said. ... Detroit 1B Miguel Cabrera took some swings and jogged on Friday as he works his way back from a right groin strain. Cabrera is eligible to come off the 10-day disabled list on Tuesday and he's on track to be activated that day. ... Tigers CF JaCoby Jones had nine stitches removed from his lip on Friday. Jones was placed on the 10-day DL on April 23 after getting hit in the face with a pitch at Minnesota. ... Detroit RHP Francisco Rodriguez is in no danger of losing the closer's role, according to manager Brad Ausmus. Rodriguez is 1-2 with a 6.23 ERA and opponents are batting .350 against him. He's converted six of eight save opportunities. ... Chicago has lost seven consecutive season series to the Tigers.