Rony Garcia got the starting nod today, facing off against a freshly rehabbed Lance Lynn and the Chicago White Sox. If ever there was going to be a series where Tony La Russa should make some boneheaded managerial decisions, it would be nice if he could do it against the Tigers.
The scoring started early, as Pollock hit a leadoff single, then Vaughn singled but tried to leg it out to a double and got tagged out at second. Abreu homered to score himself and Pollock and put the Sox up 2-0 early. The Tigers answered back in the bottom of the inning as Willi Castro hit a home run to leadoff the inning.
Then Harold Castro and Miguel Cabrera singled back-to-back. A Meadows fielders choice eliminated Cabrera. A Baez sac fly then scored Castro. Grossman singled, but no additional runs scored. The game was tied 2-2.
Garcia set the Sox down 1-2-3 in the second. In the bottom of the inning Kody Clemens finally got his first MLB hit with a single.
Barnhart singled, and was then erased as Willi Castro grounded into a double-play. A Harold Castro single then scored Clemens to give the Tigers the lead.
If you’re wondering how Lynn felt about the early innings…
The third was largely uneventful on both sides, with Garcia giving up a walk to Vaughn, and the Tigers going 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.
In the fourth there was some minor drama as Jake Burger swung through a pitch that hit him in the hands. Dude was TOUGH, his hand was already turning purple but he still finished the at-bat. Moncada got a walk but the Sox got no offensive support. In the bottom of the inning Clemens got his second career single. Willi Castro singled, but it wasn’t enough to bring Clemens in, and the Tigers would leave men stranded.
Things pivoted out of the Tigers’ favor starting in the fifth. McGuire doubled to start things off, then Mendick singled to score him. That was it for Garcia for the night going 4.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 HR on 75 pitches. Pollock singled after Garcia was gone, against new pitcher Will Vest. Vaughn grounded into a double play which sent Mendick to third, and he was then brought home by a Robert single. Abreu drew a walk but no additional runs scored. Meadows collected a double for the Tigers in the bottom of the inning and chased Lynn from the game, but no Tigers runs crossed home.
In the sixth with Chafin on the mound things went from bad to worse. Moncada singled, followed by a Garcia single, then a truly hideous play in which McGuire “sacrificed” with a bunt(?) but a genuinely awful throwing error from Chafin to third saw two runs score. Then with two outs Vaughn singled to score another run. By the half-inning the Sox were up 7-3. Bottom of the inning saw things improve slightly. SLIGHTLY. Clemens and Barnhart got back-to-back walks then a fielder’s choice from Willi Castro eliminated Barnhart but sent Clemens to third. Harold Castro singled to score Clemens. Cabrera then singled to score Castro. The Tigers got a couple back and ended the sixth at 7-5.
Foley was up next for the Tigers and gave up a leadoff single to Abreu. He got the next two outs, then gave up a single to Garcia. He was able to get out of the jam unscathed though. The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.
Fulmer was the man on the mound in the eighth and got the Sox out 1-2-3. The Tigers decided to do the same for the bottom.
For the ninth it was Joe Jimenez hoping to limit damage and put Detroit in a position for a possible comeback. Unfortunately he… didn’t. Robert singled to lead things off, then Abreu got a two-run homer. Jimenez got the next two outs, then gave up a double to Garcia, who apparently loves hitting with two outs. No more runs scored, but the extra two runs certainly put a damper on the Tigers’ comeback odds. In the bottom of the inning Graveman got two quick outs, then issued a walk to Meadows. No runs came of it though, and the Tigers were unable to make a final push.
Final: White Sox 9, Tigers 5