Tigers narrowly avoid sweep by White Sox

Tigers narrowly avoid sweep by White Sox

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=m...news/ne

7/27/2008

Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Curtis Granderson and Marcus Thames each hit solo home
runs and Miguel Cabrera knocked in a pair as the Detroit Tigers held on to defeat the
Chicago White Sox, 6-4, salvaging a win in the three-game series at Comerica Park.

Cabrera finished 2-for-4, while Ivan Rodriguez had four hits and a run scored for the
Tigers, who have won five of their last seven games.

Zach Miner (5-3) earned the win after pitching six solid innings. The right- hander,
who was making his second start since moving from the bullpen to the rotation, gave
up two runs on five hits, while striking out five without issuing a walk.

"I felt good," Miner said. "I thought my control was good, my command and everything
was good. Obviously, I improved on some things from last time and still have some
things I need to work on for next time."

Fernando Rodney, who took over the closer's role from Todd Jones for the Tigers, gave
up one run on one hit in 1 2/3 innings.

"He'll pitch when we call him to pitch," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said of Jones.
"He's a total professional. We had a wonderful conversation. He handled it like the
entire pro he is."

Jermaine Dye and A.J. Pierzynski hit a solo homers and Jim Thome drove in two for the
White Sox, who had their four-game winning streak snapped.

Javier Vazquez (7-9) suffered the loss after being touched for six runs on 11 hits
over seven frames. He struck out three and walked two. The righty, who has not won
since the middle of June, is 0-4 in his last six outings.

"I felt good out there," Vazquez said. "I'm just really frustrated that I couldn't
get it done. I feel that I'm pitching well but a bad pitch here and there has really
cost me."

The White Sox got on the board in the top of the first when Pierzynski hammered a 1-1
fastball over the left field wall to give the visitors the early 1-0 edge.

Magglio Ordonez's two-out single to right in the home half of the frame scored
Placido Polanco to tie the game at 1-1.

Granderson led off the third by lining a solo homer over the right field fence to put
the Tigers in front. Detroit wasn't finished as Polanco and Carlos Guillen walked and
after Ordonez grounded out, allowing the runners to advance to second and third,
Cabrera's ground single to right scored a pair, increasing the Tigers lead to 4-1.

Dye's one-out solo homer in the fourth got the Sox to within two.

Thames' lead-off home run in the sixth, made it a 5-2 game. The Tigers then tacked on
another when Edgar Renteria laced a double to center that scored Rodriguez, who
singled.

The White Sox narrowed their deficit in the eighth. Juan Uribe got things started
with a lead-off walk and after Orlando Cabrera flied out, Tigers reliever Joel Zumaya
left the game with right triceps tightness and was replaced by Rodney, who promptly
walked the next two batters to load the bases. Thome's looping single to left brought
home two, making it a 6-4 contest.

After the Tigers failed to get some insurance in the home half of the eighth, Rodney
stayed on for the ninth and struck out the side to preserve the win.


Game Notes

Detroit begins a 10-game road trip on Monday night at Cleveland, while the White Sox
begin a four-game set at Minnesota...Despite the loss, Chicago has won seven of 12
from the Tigers this season after going 11-7 in the season series a year
ago...Ordonez now has three or more hits in four of his last five games...Polanco
extended his hitting streak to 11 games...Miner improved to 1-5 lifetime versus the
White Sox...Rodriguez now has 41 career four-hit games...Dye homered in three
straight...Attendance was 41,790 and the Tigers have surpassed two million fans for
the fourth straight year.



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