Sox hang on for 7-6 win over Tigers
DETROIT - The White Sox lost another key player on Saturday, relief pitcher Scott Linebrink, to the disabled list.
Along with third baseman Joe Crede (back) and starting pitcher Jose Contreras (elbow), the Sox embarked on their most important road trip of the season in less than ideal physical shape.
Mentally, the White Sox are as sharp as they've been all year.
They proved it again in front of the largest crowd (45,280) ever at Comerica Park, building an early 4-1 lead against Tigers ace Justin Verlander and hanging on for a 7-6 win.
"Obviously, Linebrink going on the DL is a big blow,'' said catcher A.J. Pierzynski. "But we need to get him ready for the stretch run and other guys are stepping up. That game (a 6-5 win Friday) night was huge, and to come out against their ace and win tonight, that's a big deal.''
When the Sox last faced Verlander in Detroit, on June 11, they scratched out just 1 run on 4 hits in 9 innings against the right-hander.
Verlander entered Saturdays game with a six-game winning streak, but the White Sox knocked him out before he was able to record an out in the fifth inning.
"Verlander throws 100 miles an hour and he has a nasty curveball and changeup,'' Pierzynski said. We just wanted to get good at-bats against him because we like our chances when we're swinging at strikes. He was a little wild, but you still have to hit the ball.''
Sparked by Carlos Quentin's 2-run homer followed by Jermaine Dye's solo shot in the third inning, the Sox built a 4-1 lead.
After the Tigers rallied to tie the game in the fourth against White Sox starter John Danks, the White Sox answered with 3 more against Verlander in the fifth inning.
"We made him pitch,'' Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said of Verlander. "He was a little wild and we made him throw a lot of pitches. The offense did a good job.''
Guillen heaped individual praise on reliever Octavio Dotel, who delivered 1 scoreless innings before turning the ball over to closer Bobby Jenks.
"The way Dotel pitched, I think he's the reason we won the game,'' Guillen said.
With the White Sox leading 7-5, Dotel came on with runners on first and third and two outs in the seventh inning.
A wild pitch allowed Edgar Renteria to score, but Dotel struck out Carlos Guillen to escape further trouble.
In the eighth inning, Magglio Ordonez led off with a double, but Dotel sandwiched strikeouts by Miguel Cabrera and Marcus Thames around a popout by Gary Sheffield.
"Today, I got them,'' Dotel said. "I don't know if they'll get me tomorrow.''