The early momentum of their hot start to the year is beginning to slip away, and the Detroit Tigers fell for the third time in four tries on Saturday in a 5-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
White Sox starter Gavin Floyd pitched six strong innings to pick up the win, allowing just three hits and fanning six batters. Tigers rookie Adam Wilk (5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 SO) took the hard luck loss on a day where he threw just 62 pitches and left the game after being hit by a line drive in the fifth inning. Wilk gave up a pair of solo home runs but was otherwise impressive in his 2012 debut.
Outfielder Brennan Boesch hit his first home run of the season in the eighth inning off Chicago reliever Jesse Crain, but the 409-foot shot represented the only run the Tigers could muster on the afternoon. Boesch now has six RBI and is batting .257 in the No. 2 hole in front of the lethal combo of Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder, and should continue to see fastballs while teams try at all costs to avoid the two men behind him.
The now 5-3 Tigers will send Rick Porcello to the hill on Sunday looking to avoid the three-game sweep.
For more on the Tigers, head to Bless You Boys. For more MLB coverage, check out Baseball Nation.