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Verlander hits milestone, Tigers top White Sox

Apr 23, 2011 - 4:05 AM Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Justin Verlander reached a career milestone in a seven-inning start as the Detroit Tigers continued their recent dominance of the divisional-rival Chicago White Sox with a 9-3 win to open a three-game set.

Verlander (2-2) fanned eight batters to reach 1,000 career strikeouts while allowing three runs -- all on solo homers -- and four hits in the quality start.

"I felt like I had good control of everything," Verlander said. "If you're going to give up homers, give up solo homers. That's what I did. Our guys put up runs to allow me to be a little more aggressive."

Ryan Raburn knocked in four runs while Casper Wells drove in a pair for the Tigers, who have won seven straight and nine of the past 10 games against the White Sox. Detroit earned its second straight win overall.

Carlos Quentin had a pair of home runs while Paul Konerko added a solo shot for the White Sox, who had snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 9-2 win in Tampa Bay on Thursday.

Mark Buehrle (1-2) was touched for six runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings to take the loss for the visitors.

"It's too early to be worried," Buehrle said about the White Sox's struggles. "We haven't been hitting well or pitching well. Things just aren't clicking right now."

The Tigers got after Buehrle early with two runs in the second inning. Miguel Cabrera led off the with a single and scored on Jhonny Peralta's triple to center, where Alex Rios' failed diving attempt allowed the ball roll to the fence. Brennan Boesch then lifted a sacrifice fly to center to plate Peralta.

Detroit put up another two-spot in the third, sparked by Austin Jackson's one- out double off the right-field wall. The next batter, Raburn, hit near the same area but this time the ball barely cleared the fence for a two-run homer and a 4-0 lead.

Verlander was cruising to start the game, retiring the first 11 batters he faced. But he served Quentin an elevated fastball that was belted over the left fence to break up the perfect game and put Chicago on the board in the fourth frame.

The run was taken back by the Tigers during the bottom of the inning on Alex Avila's ground-rule double into deep left center, allowing Boesch to trot home.

Another run was tacked on for the home team when Avila, who doubled, scored on Casper Wells' single in the sixth.

During the seventh, Quentin got the best of Verlander again with another solo shot into the left-field seats, making it a 6-2 contest. The Tigers' ace surrendered another homer to the next batter, Konerko, on a towering fly ball that hooked into the right foul pole.

Verlander fanned A.J. Pierzynski to end the seventh and get his 1,000th strikeout and the Detroit bullpen did its part to seal the win.

Joaquin Benoit allowed just one hit in the eighth and the Tigers added three runs with two outs in the bottom of the inning on Wells' RBI single and Raburn's two-run base knock to make up the final score.

Detroit closer Jose Valverde came in to throw a shutout ninth inning to ice the game.

Game Notes

The start of the game was delayed 12 minutes because of rain...Verlander is the 15th pitcher in Tigers history to record 1,000 strikeouts...All nine Tigers starters reached base safely...Boesch has reached safely in 11 consecutive games...Quentin's homer was the first visitors' home run in Comerica Park this season.