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Konerko, Vazquez lead White Sox over Tigers in first game

Jul 24, 2007 - 9:47 PM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Paul Konerko hit a go-ahead home run and Javier Vazquez pitched eight strong innings as the Chicago White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers, 5-3, in the first game of a doubleheader on Tuesday.

The win ended a four-game skid for the White Sox, who had lost eight of their previous 11. The five-game series between Chicago and Detroit is now tied at one game apiece prior to the nightcap.

Vazquez (8-5) held the Tigers, the best road club in the majors, to three runs and four hits. His only mistakes were two solo home runs, given up to Curtis Granderson and Ivan Rodriguez. He also allowed a first-inning run on an RBI groundout by Magglio Ordonez.

"I felt good all game," Vazquez said. "I mixed my pitches pretty good today, and got some good outs when we needed it."

For the game, Vazquez struck out eight and walked just one.

Bobby Jenks pitched a perfect ninth inning for the White Sox to record his 27th save of the season.

"Javy (Vazquez) kept us in the game, and Bobby (Jenks) came out and threw the ball real good," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "(With) that ballclub, you've got to pitch well. You've got to pitch good to beat them."

Konerko's two-run shot off Tigers starter Jeremy Bonderman broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning. It was the 22nd home run of the year for Konerko, who finished the afternoon with three RBI.

"Really, I was garbage all day, except for that one swing," Konerko said. "It's nice when you do something when you're not doing great, when it matters, like today. I have to get back to what I was doing about a week ago, because I was better than I am right now."

Bonderman (10-2) suffered only his second loss in 19 starts for the Tigers. The righthander gave up five runs and eight hits over seven innings, while striking out four and walking one.

"(If) you give (runs) up after you get some, you're going to lose," Bonderman said. "I did it three times. I just didn't execute pitches when I had opportunities, and we lost because of it. I didn't do my job."

Granderson's 15th home run of the year came in the sixth inning, knotting the score at 3-3. In Monday night's game, the Chicago native went 3-for-3 with a home run and four RBI.

"I don't know if (Granderson) gets more pumped playing here," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "Maybe the home cooking is good for him, (because) he is playing his (butt) off right now."

White Sox's rookie Josh Fields hit his second home run in as many days in the fifth to give his club a 3-2 lead in the back-and-forth game.

Jim Thome went 3-3, with a walk and three runs scored for the Sox.

Chicago left fielder Scott Podsednik was activated prior the game, after being on the disabled list since July 3 with a strained left ribcage muscle. He went hitless in three at-bats.