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Erstad, White Sox rally past Tigers

Apr 21, 2007 - 5:17 AM DETROIT (Ticker) -- Darin Erstad began paying dividends for the Chicago White Sox.

Erstad had two hits and drove in the decisive run and rookie Nick Masset and the bullpen allowed just two hits over 4 1/3 innings as the White Sox posted a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

Juan Uribe and Tadahito Iguchi each hit a solo homer and Paul Konerko drove in two runs for Chicago (8-7), which has won three straight games to move over the .500 mark.

"We did all we could to lose this game," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "But we battled and the bullpen was tremendous. Thank God for those guys, they did everything I wanted them to do."

With the score knotted at 4-4 in the seventh, Erstad hit a one-out single to center field off reliever Jason Grilli to plate Rob Mackowiak. Erstad, who signed as a free agent in the offseason, was just 3-for-36 entering the game.

"When your not going good, you look for anything to hit," Erstad said. "I just hung in there and went with the pitch."

Chicago trailed, 4-2, in the sixth when Konerko singled to left field off Detroit starter Chad Durbin with the bases loaded and no outs, driving in Erstad and Iguchi to tie the contest.

"In that situation you don't want to make a mistake," Konerko said. " I wasn't looking for a hit but just not to put the ball on the ground. I didn't hit it well, but got enough of it to get it to the outfield."

Masset (1-0), one of five White Sox relievers, won his first major league game, pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of rookie starter John Danks.

"I was glad to come in and get that last out and pitch another clean inning for us." Masset said. "It was a great feeling after the game was over to get that first win. It's something I have been looking forward to all my career. I'm glad I was able to get it here with Chicago."

Both Masset and Danks came to Chicago in the offseason trade with the Texas Rangers for Brandon McCarthy.

In the ninth, closer Bobby Jenks allowed a two-out double to Placido Polanco before striking out Tigers slugger Gary Sheffield to record his fifth save of the season.

"I felt I had worked the count to 3-2," Sheffield said. "But the ump called a strike, and there's nothing I can do about it."

Uribe hit his fourth home run of the season in the third and Iguchi belted his second of the season in the fourth to give Chicago a 2-1 lead.

Grilli (0-1), who pitched for the White Sox in 2004, suffered his first loss of the season.

"Grilli's been one of our better bull pen guys," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "He throws OK, and he came out with the score 4-4. They had a couple ground balls that found holes. That's the way it is."

Carlos Guillen had two hits and drove in a pair of runs for the Tigers, who have lost seven of their last 11 home games against the White Sox.