Justin who? White Sox have some fun
Go ahead and try to figure out the White Sox, but do so at your own risk.
Opening the unofficial second half of the season against the Tigers on Friday night at Comerica Park, the Sox figured to be in big trouble against Detroit ace Justin Verlander.
Unable to beat journeyman starters like Bruce Chen, Felipe Paulino and Rodrigo Lopez leading up to the all-star break, the White Sox' offense somehow found a way to tee off on Verlander, who entered the game second in the American League in wins (12) and ERA (2.15) and first with 147 strikeouts and a 0.87 WHIP.
Oh yeah, Verlander won his last 7 decisions against the Sox and was facing Gavin Floyd, who last won a game June 1.
Against just about all possible odds, the White Sox jumped on Verlander with 4 runs in the third inning and got the right-hander's pitch count up to 94 after the fifth.
Floyd, meanwhile, was solid over 7⅔ innings and the Sox got the second half off to a big start with an 8-2 win.
Even Adam Dunn joined the coming out party, delivering a clutch 2-run single off Verlander in the third inning.
“We were able to scratch and claw,” Dunn told reporters. “Beating the best pitcher in baseball, that's a good way to start the second half.”
The White Sox talked and talked about forgetting their underachieving first half, and they apparently listened to themselves before coming out and knocking Detroit out of first place in the AL Central.
They also ended a streak of 13 losses in 15 games against the Tigers.
“We're going to win it all,” second baseman Gordon Beckham jokingly told reporters after going 2-for-4 with 2 RBI.
Beckham got plenty of help from Dunn and Carlos Quentin, who was 3-for-5 with 3 RBI.
As for Alex Rios going 0-for-5 and leaving 7 runners on base, that was hardly even a story Friday.
“That's the most fun I've had in a little while,” manager Ozzie Guillen told reporters. “Everything worked out. We took advantage and Justin wasn't sharp.”
Ÿ The White Sox made a rotation change before beating the Tigers Friday night.
Originally scheduled to start against Detroit on Sunday, Jake Peavy has been pushed back to Tuesday, when he'll pitch against the Royals.
Peavy said his body didn't feel right after he was hit hard against the Twins on Sunday, the final game before the all-star break.
He'll get a few more days to rest before taking the mound in Kansas City. Phil Humber starts Sunday.
Ÿ Barring any unexpected setbacks, John Danks (oblique) will come off the disabled list and start against the Royals on Wednesday.
In his second rehab start with Class AAA Charlotte on Friday night, Danks pitched 6 scoreless innings.
Ÿ Having lost a pair of Class AAA Charlotte starting pitchers — Jeff Marquez and Lucas Harrell — to waiver claims, the White Sox signed veteran left-hander Doug Davis to a minor-league contract.
Davis was 1-7 with a 6.50 ERA in 9 starts with the Cubs before being released.
sgregor@dailyherald.com