• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Cabrera, Tigers use long ball to complete sweep of White Sox

Jul 22, 2012 - 11:53 PM Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Miguel Cabrera hit two of his team's four home runs, Jacob Turner earned his first major league win, and the Tigers defeated the White Sox, 6-4, on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.

On Saturday, the Tigers supplanted Chicago atop the American League Central with a 7-1 victory. They now hold a 1 1/2-game lead in the division and have won 13 of their last 15 games overall.

Quintin Berry and Cabrera hit back-to-back homers in the first inning to put Detroit on top for good. Cabrera's second long ball -- a solo shot in the third -- was the 300th of his career.

Brennan Boesch added a two-run blast later in the inning -- his second homer in as many games.

"I think the key to today's game was obviously Cabrera," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland.

Turner (1-1), in his sixth career start and third of the season, lasted 5 1/3 innings and was charged with three runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and no walks.

He left after allowing a two-run homer to Alex Rios, who also had an RBI single in the first inning.

Joaquin Benoit tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to record his second save of the season.

Philip Humber (4-5) had won three straight road starts, but lasted just three innings, surrendering six runs on seven hits in the loss.

The White Sox, who fell out of first place for the first time since June 23 with Saturday's setback, have now lost five straight games and eight of their last 11.

"We can play with these guys, there's no doubt about it. They just basically out-hit us this series and that happens," said Chicago catcher Tyler Flowers. "They're hot right now, we're not as hot as we were, but there's always ups and downs in baseball. We're gonna be fine."

It was Cabrera's 15th multi-homer game since joining the Tigers on 2008, which is tied for the second-most in the American League with the Blue Jays' Jose Bautista over that span.

In the bottom of the first inning, Austin Jackson drew a leadoff walk, Berry belted a homer to left and Cabrera followed with a solo shot to left-center for a 3-1 lead.

His 300th was another solo blast in the third. He is the second Venezuelan- born player in major league history to reach the milestone, with the other being Andres Galarraga (399).

Prince Fielder followed with a single and later in the frame, Boesch hit his 11th homer of the season for a 6-1 lead.

Rios' two-run shot, which scored Paul Konerko, landed beyond the fence in left and bounced back onto the field. The ball was officially ruled in play before an umpire's review confirmed the home run.

Brayan Villarreal then gave up a pair of singles before flying out Gordon Beckham to escape the frame.

Phil Coke allowed a one-out solo homer to Kevin Youkilis in the seventh before giving way to Octavio Dotel, who tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief.

"Dotel came in and was just fantastic," said Leyland. "Along with Cabrera he was the star of the game."

The Tigers have now won 11 of their last 12 games at Comerica Park dating back to July 4.

Game Notes

The Tigers have won nine of their last 10 games against the White Sox at Comerica Park...Turner had his contract recalled from Triple-A Toledo on July 17...Cabrera has 23 home runs this season...Berry hit his second homer of the season, Rios hit his 14th and Youkilis hit his ninth.