Chicago, IL - Zach Miner’s throwing error on a sacrifice bunt allowed Scott Podsednik to score the winning run from first, giving the Chicago White Sox a 4-3 win over the Detroit Tigers, taking three out of a rare five-game set.
Podsednik finished 2-for-4 with an RBI for the White Sox, who had dropped four straight entering this five-game set. John Danks scattered six hits and three runs over 6 2/3 innings, but it was Bobby Jenks (3-4) who got the win for tossing the scoreless ninth.
Omar Infante homered for the Tigers, who have dropped five of eight. Justin Verlander held the Sox to three hits and three runs over seven-plus innings. Miner (1-3) took the loss for the Tigers.
The trouble started for Miner and the Tigers right off the bat in the ninth, with Podsednik singling to left. Josh Fields then laid down a sacrifice bunt back to Miner, who bobbled the ball before air-mailing the throw into foul territory in right field. Podsednik chugged all the way around on the play and beat the throw to the plate, giving the White Sox the win.
Infante’s solo shot to left, his second of the season, with two outs in the third gave the Tigers the early lead.
AJ Pierzynski poked a one-out single to right in the fourth and, after Jermaine Dye walked, came home on Podsednik’s double to left. Fields then plated the go-ahead run with a groundout to first.
The Tigers took the lead back with two runs in the sixth. Infante led off with a walk, moved over on Curtis Granderson’s sacrifice bunt, and came home on Placido Polanco’s single to right. Mike Hessman’s single to left with two outs drove in Polanco, and put the Tigers on top.
The White Sox had a chance to go on top in the eighth when they loaded the bases on a Tadahito Iguchi single to center and walks to Jim Thome and Paul Konerko, all with no outs, but Pierzynski grounded into a double play. One run did come home, tying the game, but Jermaine Dye grounded out to end the threat.
Game Notes
Chicago’s Jerry Owens went 0-for-3, ending his 10-game hitting streak…The Tigers fell to 22-8 in games started by left-handed pitchers…Attendance was 30,567.
