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Fielder carries Tigers over ChiSox

Jul 11, 2013 - 4:32 AM Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Prince Fielder finished 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and three RBI to help push the Detroit Tigers past the Chicago White Sox, 8-5, in the middle contest of a three-game set at Comerica Park.

Alex Avila drove in two runs while Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez each collected three hits as well as an RBI for the Tigers, who have won seven of their last nine games.

"We had some really good at-bats," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland. "It's a good win for us, you can see that their starting to play better."

Rick Porcello (6-6) surrendered three runs on seven hits with no walks while fanning six over six innings. After losing three in a row and allowing a combined 16 runs, Porcello has won two straight while yielding just three runs.

Joaquin Benoit brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth but was able to produce a groundout to pick up his eighth save of the year for the AL Central leaders.

Dylan Axelrod (3-6) was tagged for seven runs on 11 hits and two walks over 5 2/3 innings. Axelrod remains winless in his last eight outings with his last win coming on May 26 against Miami.

"They had some shots and Axelrod wasn't sharp," said White Sox manager Robin Ventura. "It's a tough lineup to go through if you're not going to be sharp."

Gordon Beckham and Conor Gillaspie each had solo home runs for the White Sox, losers of five of their last six.

One night after allowing 23 hits in an 11-4 loss, the Tigers got out to an early lead. Fielder crushed a changeup over the right-field wall to give the Tigers an early 2-0 edge in the first. Torii Hunter reached base on a single to left.

Gillapsie answered in the second with a two-out shot to right.

Detroit got that run back in the home half when Ramon Santiago singled, then crossed the plate on an Austin Jackson two-out, stand-up triple to the left- center field gap.

With the bases loaded in the third, Avila connected on a two-out, full-count changeup that dropped right in front of a diving Alex Rios in right field to bring in Fielder and Martinez to make it 5-1.

Jeff Keppinger and Gillaspie hit consecutive singles with one out in the fourth to reach base. Dayan Viciedo followed with a single of his own to score Keppinger from second. With runners on the corners, Beckham hit a sacrifice fly to right that scored Gillaspie.

Santiago worked a walk and Hunter's infield single chased Axelrod from the mound in the sixth. Cabrera welcomed Ramon Troncoso with a two-out, RBI single to right while Fielder and Martinez each smashed line drives to left to knock in a run apiece.

Beckham stroked a home run, his second of the year. in the seventh. Alexei Ramirez then doubled in Alejandro De Aza, who was walked, to make it an 8-5 game.

With runners at first and second in the ninth, Benoit retired Ramirez on a groundout to end the game.

Game Notes

Rios went 0-for-4, one night after going 6-for-6 to tie an AL record for most hits in a nine-inning game ... Cabrera is the sixth player with 93 RBI before the All-Star break ... Axelrod has allowed 11 homers in his last six starts ... Chicago is 5-20 in its past 25 road games ... All Detroit's runs came with two outs ... The White Sox have lost eight of their last nine games at Detroit ... Chicago went 2-for-5 with runners in scoring position, while Detroit finished 4-for-8 ... Martinez extended his hitting streak to 12 games.