Aug 24, 2006, 3:00 GMT
Detroit, MI - Jermaine Dye clubbed a three-run homer and Joe Crede hit a pair of solo homers, as the Chicago White Sox captured a much- needed 7-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.
Paul Konerko finished 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI, while Rob Mackowiak totaled two hits and one run scored. Chicago snapped a three-game skid and moved within 6 1/2 games of Detroit in the American League Central, while staying one-half game ahead of Minnesota in the wild card race.
Freddy Garcia (12-8) picked up the victory, allowing five runs on seven hits with one walk and three strikeouts over 5 1/3 frames. Bobby Jenks pitched a scoreless ninth for his 36th save.
Dmitri Young hit a two-run homer and Sean Casey hit a two-run double for Detroit, which had won the first two games of this four-game set.
Zach Miner (7-5) was saddled with the loss, yielding six runs on four hits in only 1 1/3 frames. The Detroit bullpen only surrendered one more run the rest of the way in defeat.
'Physically, I felt great,' said Miner. 'Just didn't have it pitching-wise.'
The bats awoke for both American League powers in the first frame.
Chicago did all of its damage with two outs, as Jim Thome walked and reached third on Konerko's single. Dye then completed the stretch with a three-run homer into the left-field seats.
Detroit responded with three runs of its own in the bottom half. Craig Monroe doubled with one out before Young went deep with a two-run shot to right. Magglio Ordonez followed with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Ivan Rodriguez's two-out single to left.
The White Sox gave Garcia a three-run edge right back with a trio of runs in the second. Crede led off with a solo homer to left before a Mackowiak walk and a Scott Podsednik single put two runners on base.
Miner then exited, and one batter later, Thome smacked a run-scoring ground- rule double to left-center field off of Wilfredo Ledezma.
Thome came up lame rounding first on the play and was replaced on the basepaths by Tadahito Iguchi.
The slugger was diagnosed with a strained left hamstring and is listed as day- to-day.
Konerko was next to the plate, driving a 0-1 offering into left field for a run-scoring base hit.
Detroit got back into the game with two runs in the sixth, chasing Garcia from the game. Ordonez singled to kick off the frame, then some aggressive base running led to a pair of runners in scoring position with nobody out.
Running on a 3-2 pitch to Carlos Guillen, Ordonez headed for third on the shortstop's single to left. Podsednik's throw hit Ordonez and bounced away from Crede, allowing Guillen to take second.
After Rodriguez popped out to shallow right on a 3-0 count, Casey greeted new pitcher Matt Thornton with a double past Podsednik in left, scoring both runners for a 6-5 game.
Crede gave the White Sox some breathing room just before stretch time with his second solo home run of the game.
'Crede, I think he's the most underrated player we have. This kid plays outstanding third base,' said Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen. 'It seems like every time he hits the ball it's a clutch hit. He's a strong man. He hit one ball with one hand out of the ballpark.'
Game Notes
Crede's first homer of the game was the 100th of his career. He has hit 20 career long balls versus Detroit.Dye has 20 runs batted in during the last 25 games.Nate Robertson will take the ball for the Tigers on Thursday afternoon against Jon Garland for the White Sox.
Crede's first homer of the game was the 100th of his career. He has hit 20 career long balls versus Detroit.
Dye has 20 runs batted in during the last 25 games.
Nate Robertson will take the ball for the Tigers on Thursday afternoon against Jon Garland for the White Sox.
© 2006 The Sports Network
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