In yet another tight game between a pair of divisional rivals, the Detroit Tigers picked up a much-needed series win over the Chicago White Sox after Sunday's 3-1 victory.
Detroit racked up 10 hits against Chicago pitching throughout the day, as each of the Tigers' first four batters in the order managed to collect a pair of hits. Of the four runs combined by both clubs, all were scored on solo home runs. Austin Jackson opened the game with a leadoff bomb in the first, and Prince Fielder followed suit shortly thereafter with a home run of his own in the third.
Andy Dirks, hitting in the No. 2 hole after Brennan Boesch was dropped to No. 8, hit a two-out solo homer in the eighth inning to extend the Tigers' lead to 3-1. The breathing room created by Dirks' hit proved to be quite necessary, as Detroit closer Jose Valverde once again made things interesting in the ninth before picking up a dramatic save.
Starter Rick Porcello tossed 6.1 solid innings for Detroit to grab his third victory of the year, striking out a season-high five batters in the process. Porcello yielded only four hits, and was bested only by a home run from the bat of Adam Dunn in the opening inning.
Next up for the 14-13 Tigers is a Monday trip out West to Seattle for a three-game series with the Mariners, followed immediately by a four-game set with the Oakland Athletics to round out the weekend.
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