White Sox Stop Slide With 6-5 Win Over Tigers
CHICAGO (AP) -- The Chicago White Sox jumped ahead, and the Detroit Tigers came right back. Jose Abreu had a big two-run homer for the White Sox, and Victor Martinez responded with one of his own for the AL Central leaders.
Adam Eaton loved every minute of it.
Eaton had a key run-scoring single in the sixth inning, and the White Sox snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-5 victory over the Tigers on Monday night.
"South Siders, we're grinders," said Eaton, acquired from Arizona in a three-team December trade. "We're going to try to do the little things right and grind games out. I think that was as close to a boxing match as you can get.
"Grinding it out, and I wouldn't have a baseball game any other way. I think that's how it's supposed to be played."
Gordon Beckham had three hits and Conor Gillaspie drove in two runs as Chicago bounced back from a sluggish trip to Southern California. The White Sox took two of three from the Dodgers before getting swept in a weekend series against the Angels.
Martinez, Miguel Cabrera and Eugenio Suarez connected for Detroit, which has dropped seven of nine. Cabrera went 2 for 4 while serving as the designated hitter after leaving Sunday night's 5-3 loss to Boston with left hamstring tightness.
"I feel better than yesterday," Cabrera said. "In the last couple innings, it was tightening. But hopefully I can come back tomorrow in the field and get loose again."
Martinez's two-run shot off Hector Noesi (2-4) trimmed Chicago's lead to 5-4 in the sixth. But the White Sox got a big run in the bottom half on Eaton's single and held on to win the opener of a nine-game homestand.
Ronald Belisario worked a shaky ninth for his sixth save.
"We had so many people contribute in so many different ways," Gillaspie said.
Alex Avila hit an RBI double off Belisario before the right-hander retired Suarez on a deep fly to center. Pinch-runner Rajai Davis advanced to third on the play, but Belisario struck out Ian Kinsler and got pinch-hitter Torii Hunter to ground to third for the final out.
Rick Porcello (8-4) struggled through five-plus innings for Detroit, allowing six runs and nine hits. He also committed a costly throwing error that set up Eaton's run-scoring hit.
"I just couldn't find any consistency in executing pitches," Porcello said. "I mean, we face these guys a lot. They know what you're going to do, and when you're not on point, on your game, they're going to get all over it."
Porcello was 9-1 with a 2.35 ERA in his previous 12 starts against the White Sox. The 25-year-old right-hander went 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA in three starts at U.S. Cellular Field last season.
Noesi was charged with four runs and seven hits over 5 2-3 innings in his second straight win. The right-hander, claimed off waivers from Texas in April, pitched six solid innings against the Dodgers in his previous start.
"He's giving us a chance to win," manager Robin Ventura said. "He has been great. The changeup for him has really been a factor that has got him to this point."
The White Sox scored three times in the fifth to take a 5-2 lead. Gillaspie drove in Beckham with his second RBI single and Abreu followed with a drive to center for his 18th homer. Abreu had two hits after he went 1 for 12 in the sweep by the Angels.
Cabrera watched for a brief moment as his one-out drive in the fourth sailed over the wall in left for his 12th homer. J.D. Martinez then singled with two down, but Gillaspie robbed Nick Castellanos of extra bases with a leaping grab at third for the final out.
Suarez went deep in the fifth, tying it at 2. It was his second homer in his fourth major league game since he was promoted from Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday.
NOTES: Victor Martinez has 15 homers and 15 strikeouts this season. ... White Sox GM Rick Hahn said the team has a "positive history" with agent Scott Boras and thinks they will be able to work together again when it comes to top draft pick Carlos Rodon. The White Sox grabbed the left-hander with the No. 3 overall selection Thursday night. The deadline for signing most amateur draft picks is July 18. ... Tigers RHP Justin Verlander (6-5, 4.19 ERA) faces LHP John Danks (4-5, 4.32) on Tuesday night.
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