Solid pitching, defense spark White Sox's 3-0 win over Tigers

After playing 16 straight games to close out May, the White Sox got a needed day off Thursday.

They arrived at Guaranteed Rate Field Friday night expecting to be revived and ready to play. It took a few innings, but the Sox did come to life and beat the Tigers 3-0.

"Really, really good pitching today. We played good defense and got timely hitting," manager Pedro Grifol said. "Usually that's a good recipe for a win."

Mike Clevinger came off the injured list and made his first start for the White Sox since May 17. It was one of his better efforts of the season.

Looking fully recovered from a sore right wrist, Clevinger pitched 5 innings and allowed 3 hits and a walk while striking out six.

"I feel like we really utilized those two weeks to refine some mechanical flaws I had," Clevinger said. "Tonight really showed the work we put in."

Being sidelined the final two weeks of May, Clevinger was eased back into the rotation and Grifol pulled him out of the game after 73 pitches.

"I felt strong, but I understood the reason behind it," Clevinger said. "I threw five (innings) and then it was like, 'Let's build off this and create momentum for the next one.' We had a fresh bullpen with the off day, so it was good timing to kind of cut it short."

Clevinger had to pitch out of some trouble, but he had standout defensive help from Luis Robert in center field and Romy Gonzalez at second base.

"Oh my goodness," Clevinger said of Robert. "He's unbelievable. Just his first step, you go watch his first step. It's like he's standing at shortstop reading the ball coming off the bat. It's crazy to see. (Gonzalez) made probably three plays that kind of helped define the game tonight."

Making his major league debut for Detroit, starting pitcher Reese Olson had a no-hitter going until Gonzalez led off the sixth inning with a single.

That opened up the offense, and the White Sox scored a pair of runs in the sixth on RBI singles from Andrew Benintendi and Eloy Jimenez.

Tim Anderson closed the scoring in the seventh with an RBI double.

"He had pretty good stuff, and he was sinking it," Grifol said of Olson. "We were able to get him in the sixth, but he still did a really good job."

Dazzling debut:

Noah Schultz, the White Sox's first-round draft pick last year out of Oswego East High School, pitched in his first professional game Friday night and made an immediate impact.

The 19-year-old lefty started for low class A Kannapolis and breezed through 2 scoreless innings against Fayetteville, allowing 1 hit and no walks to go with 5 strikeouts.

Schultz, who is 6-foot-9, had his season delayed by a left forearm strain.

Roster moves:

Along with starter Mike Clevinger, infielder Elvis Andrus was activated off the injured list before Friday night's game against the Tigers.

Andrus, who was out with a left oblique strain, was not in the starting lineup at second base. Romy Gonzalez has been playing at a high level and he got the nod.

"They're competing for a job over there," manager Pedro Grifol said. "Elvis is a 15-year major league veteran, I'm pretty certain he's not going to just sit down. I'm certain his game is going to elevate to a level where he's going to force things and find himself in the lineup. I haven't spoken to Elvis about being a utility player or anything like that. These guys are competing."

The White Sox also designated infielder Hanser Alberto for assignment and optioned right-handed pitcher Jesse Scholtens to Class AAA Charlotte.

Alberto hit .220 with 3 home runs and 16 RBI in 30 games. Scholtens is 0-2 with a 3.24 ERA in 5 games (1 start) with the Sox this season.