Tigers Hold Onto Big Lead This Time, Top White Sox 11-8
MIKE CRANSTON, Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) — Brad Ausmus was mentally drained, Justin Upton was tired and Jordan Zimmermann was just happy for all the support.
After nearly 8 1/2 hours of baseball over two days, the Detroit Tigers were finally able to hold on for a win.
Upton doubled, tripled and drove in four runs, J.D. Martinez had three of Detroit's season-high seven doubles and the Tigers this time held off the skidding Chicago White Sox 11-8 on Tuesday night.
"It's draining, I think more physically than mentally," said Upton after playing consecutive games where 37 runs were scored. "Every game you try to lock in, but the longer the game gets the tougher it gets on the body."
After blowing a 7-0 lead in a 12-inning loss that lasted 4 hours, 34 minutes a night earlier, the Tigers raced to a 10-2 edge in the fourth and overcame a second straight subpar start by Zimmermann (9-3) for their eighth win in 10 games.
This game lasted 3:47.
"They're a little draining," said the manager Ausmus, who was forced to get closer Francisco Rodriguez to warm up in the ninth. "We had guys we didn't want to use."
Zimmermann allowed six runs — four earned — and eight hits in seven innings, but got plenty of help.
Miguel Cabrera went 4 for 5 with two doubles for the Tigers, who had 16 hits and a baserunner in every inning.
"We've swung the bats well lately," Upton said. "I think guys are starting to settle in."
Miguel Gonzalez (1-2) needed 91 pitches to get 10 outs, allowing seven runs and eight hits in Chicago's 23rd loss in 32 games.
"Our guys came out swinging and that's a good sign, but that's a rough start, two days in a row," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "It kind of wears on your bullpen, multiple inning guys and being able to survive that."
Jose Iglesias doubled and scored in the first to extend his hitting streak to 12 games and Martinez had his sixth straight multihit game.
The Tigers last had seven doubles exactly two years ago against Minnesota.
"When I was ahead, I just couldn't finish hitters," Gonzalez said.
Upton entered hitting .225 but had an RBI double in the second, drew one of two bases-loaded walks by Gonzalez in the third and tripled in two runs off Matt Purke in a four-run fourth.
Chicago rookie Tim Anderson, batting leadoff for the second straight game, had two doubles and scored a run. Adam Eaton tripled and scored and Tyler Saladino added a two-run homer in the ninth off Mark Lowe.
After the White Sox got within 10-6 after five innings, Zimmermann and Alex Wilson combined for three scoreless innings before Saladino's fourth homer.
"They've been giving me runs all year and I haven't been that great of late," Zimmermann said. "I'm hoping I can turn things around and won't need eight to 10 runs every game."
AVILES EXITS
Tigers 3B Mike Aviles, filling in while Nick Castellanos served as DH, left in the eighth after he landed awkwardly on his left wrist while diving for a Jose Abreu's ground ball single. An X-ray was negative.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: DH Victor Martinez (right knee) was out of the lineup for a second straight day. ... OF Cameron Maybin sat out to rest his left wrist. He broke it in spring training and it still gives him occasional pain.
White Sox: 1B Justin Morneau is taking grounders but has yet to do any hitting as he recovers from offseason elbow surgery. Chicago signed the former AL MVP last week knowing he won't be ready until after the All-Star break.
FRAZIER SITS
White Sox 3B Todd Frazier, who went 0 for 6 Monday and is an 8-for-69 (.116) slump, had the day off.
"I think a break is needed," Frazier said.
PITCHER NO. 22
White Sox RHP Michael Ynoa, called up from Triple-A Charlotte before the game, pitched two hitless innings with two walks in his major league debut. Ynoa became the 22nd Chicago player to pitch this season. Chicago had 24 all of last year.
UP NEXT
Chicago ace Chris Sale (10-2, 2.87 ERA) and RHP Mike Pelfrey (1-6, 4.68) square off for the second time in 11 days in Wednesday night's series finale. Sale took his second loss in the June 4 meeting.
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