Jimenez exits with sprained ankle, Sox win on wild walkoff

It's been a trying week for Eloy Jimenez.

The rookie left fielder missed the White Sox's three-game series at Baltimore to return to his hometown of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, following the death of his grandmother, Flora Sanchez.

"It was a little bit hard to say bye, but she's in my heart all the time," Jimenez said.

Returning to the Sox's lineup Friday in a 12-11 win against the Tigers at Guaranteed Rate Field, Jimenez led off the second inning with a single. He entered the game mired in a 3-for-31 slump.

The White Sox wound up beating Detroit 12-11 on Tim Anderson's solo home run with two outs in the ninth inning. Back up to hitting .402 after going 4-for-6, Anderson was looking for a first-pitch slider from Detroit reliever Joe Jimenez.

He got it, hit a 394-foot homer to left and did another bat launch before circling the bases and being mobbed at the plate.

"I want those moments," Anderson said. "I knew I had to do it (bat flip) again to let people know it wasn't a fluke."

Jimenez's night took a turn for the worse in the third inning. Chasing after Grayson Greiner's 2-run homer, Jimenez slammed into the left-field fence and had to be helped off the field by trainer Brian Ball and manager Rick Renteria.

The early diagnosis is a right ankle sprain, and X-rays for a possible fracture came back negative.

Weather is likely going to postpone Saturday's game against Detroit but the Sox announced Jimenez is going to have an MRI, which is a standard procedure.

"Besides pain, I feel good because we won," Jimenez said. "Right now, there's a little bit more pain than normal. But I'm going to be all right.

Like the injury, the White Sox weren't looking good early in Friday's game.

Starting pitcher Carlos Rodon had command issues from the outset and lasted just 3 innings, allowing 8 runs on 9 hits and 3 walks. The left-hander threw 85 pitches.

"We won today, so that's the big thing," Rodon said. "I didn't really have it and I got my (bleep) hit around, to be honest."

Trailing 9-2 in the fifth, the Sox rallied back and took an 11-10 lead in bizarre fashion.

Jose Abreu appeared to put the White Sox in front 12-10 with his second home run of the game, a 3-run shot. But as the drive was clearing the fence in left-center field, Anderson retreated back to first base to tag up.

Abreu wasn't paying attention to Anderson, he passed him rounding first and was called out. Abreu was credited with a 2-run single.

"I made a mistake," said Abreu, who was 4-for-5 with 5 RBI. "When I hit the ball I just thought it was a regular fly ball to the warning track and I didn't see TA. I take full responsibility for that. I felt bad but we won the game and that's what matters."

Santana released:

He only made 3 starts, but the White Sox obviously saw enough. Or, not enough.

Ervin Santana was designated for assignment Friday after going 0-2 with a 9.45 ERA and a 1.88 WHIP.

"In the end, more often than not the fastball was a little too true, a little too elevated in terms of missing his spots, and he paid the price for it," Sox general manager Rick Hahn said.

Rotation switch:

With Ervin Santana looking for a new team, the Sox are going to keep Manny Banuelos in the starting rotation.

"We felt we were better served by giving Manny an opportunity now, see what we have there in terms of a young lefty who could potentially help us down the road," GM Rick Hahn said.

In his last three outings, including a Monday start against the Orioles, the 28-year-old Banuelos has allowed 1 earned run in 10⅓ innings.

On the 10-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring, Lucas Giolito is likely to be activated next week and go back to the rotation.