Detroit, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - Nick Castellanos had four RBI, and his
three-run homer keyed a six-run opening inning, as the Detroit Tigers
dominated the Chicago White Sox, 7-2, at Comerica Park.
Max Scherzer (13-3) yielded five hits and a run over seven innings to win his
fifth consecutive decision over a seven-start span. He hasn't lost since June
17 against Kansas City. Scherzer, the first AL pitcher to reach 13 victories
this season, has won nine of his last 10 decisions against the White Sox,
dating back to Sept. 1, 2012.
"The way I'm using my off-speed pitches, they're all crisp. They're moving the
way I want them to," Scherzer said. "I'm throwing the ball as well as I ever
have."
Victor Martinez, Torii Hunter and J.D. Martinez had consecutive RBI singles in
the big inning, during which eight straight Tigers reached base against Hector
Noesi.
The AL Central leaders, who snapped a four-game skid, bounced back from an
11-4 loss in the opener of this three-game series.
Noesi (5-8), who won his previous two starts, was charged with 10 hits and six
runs over six frames.
"They just got after him in the first inning," White Sox manager Robin Ventura
said. "He got the first out, but after that he was just getting up in the
zone. They were hitting them where we weren't."
Adam Dunn homered in the ninth inning off Al Alburquerque, but the White Sox
fell eight games behind the division-leading Tigers.
The Tigers had scored six runs over their previous four games, but matched
that total in the first inning against an ineffective Noesi, who struck out
Austin Jackson to start the frame. Ian Kinsler singled and Miguel Cabrera
walked to start Detroit's huge inning. Victor Martinez then singled to right,
and then Hunter and J.D. Martinez singled to center for a 3-0 lead.
Castellanos made it three straight batters to hit a first offering from Noesi.
Castellanos, who was scratched from Tuesday's lineup with a right index finger
contusion, belted his seventh homer of the year to right field.
"It certainly was a nice way to break the game open and kind of break out of
our little scoring slump," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "But when you
score like that, six runs and you don't really add on, you always feel you
give them an opportunity to get back in. Fortunately today, Max did a nice
job."
Alex Avila walked and Andrew Romine singled before Noesi finally got out of
the inning with a 6-0 deficit.
Scherzer faced the minimum number of batters over the first five innings and
allowed his only run in the seventh when Dayan Viciedo's sacrifice fly plated
Alexei Ramirez. Jose Abreu singled to right in the frame to extend his hitting
streak to 19 games.
Castellanos singled in Hunter in the bottom of the seventh.
Game Notes
The game was delayed by rain for 26 minutes at the start ... Jackson has hit
safely in 16 of his last 18 games ... Hunter had three of Detroit's 13 hits
... Scherzer is 12-5 lifetime against the White Sox.