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Durbin, Ordonez lead Tigers past White Sox

Apr 26, 2007 - 4:46 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The Detroit Tigers found some hot bats and a live arm despite the rainy conditions in Chicago.

Chad Durbin pitched eight shutout innings and Magglio Ordonez drove in three runs to lead the Tigers to a 6-2 victory over their division rival Chicago White Sox.

Durbin (1-1), who was roughed up in each of his first three starts, struck out nine and yielded just three hits. The righthander lowered his ERA by nearly four runs - from 10.54 to 6.65.

"(Durbin) changed speeds well, used all his pitches and he didn't walk anybody," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "He was getting everything over the plate and keeping them off balance."

It could not have come at a better time for Durbin, whose struggles were magnified by the fact that Zach Minor and Andrew Miller - both of whom performed well in late-season promotions last season - are waiting in the minor leagues.

"One game doesn't make a season, but it does make a difference to gain some respect," Durbin said. "(I have to) get ready for the next one and try to stay humble with it."

Detroit opened the scoring in the first inning, plating three runs before recording an out. Ivan Rodriguez, batting leadoff with lefthander John Danks on the mound for Chicago, doubled and was promptly driven home on Placido Polanco's RBI double.

"When you score a lot of runs in the first inning, it made (Durbin) work better," Rodriguez said. "That was very important to (Durbin) today, that we gave him three runs right away. He pitched a great game, it was the difference in the game."

After Gary Sheffield doubled, Ordonez drove in his first two runs of the game with a single to center, plating Sheffield and Polanco.

Sheffield scored two runs for the third game in a row. The veteran slugger, who had been mired in a 7-for-59 slump to open the season, had a pair of hits and is 5-for-17 over the last three games with six runs scored and two doubles.

"I looked at some tape, (since) I missed a lot of time last year," Sheffield said. "It's perseverance. We continue to work hard, and we continue to have quality at-bats. We have to put some tough losses behind us, and move forward. We concentrate on each game, day-to-day, and we put the past behind us, if it's negative or positive."

Durbin benefited from the absence of Chicago sluggers Jim Thome and Jermaine Dye. Thome was given the night off due to a nagging right rib injury, while Dye sat with a lower left back injury.

"(Durbin) caught a big break with Thome and Dye out of the lineup tonight," Leyland said. "I don't want to take anything away from Chad, because he pitched very, very well. (But) we also caught a break with two of the big guys out of there."

Brian Anderson took Thome's customary spot as the designated hitter while Rob Machowiak got the start in right field before leaving in the bottom of the fifth inning. The veteran utility man strained his lower abdominal muscle while rounding first base and was lifted for a pinch runner. He is listed as day-to-day.

Danks (0-3) settled down after the rough opening frame, yielding just one more run on Ordonez's RBI double in the fifth. The rookie lefthander struck out six while allowing four runs and nine hits. The 22-year-old has yet remains winless in the majors.

"I think Danks has the White Sox disease," Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He pitched well. He had a real rough first inning and then started to get better, started to locate the ball better. Every time he pitches, we don't score, we don't help him."

The White Sox threatened in the ninth, plating two runs on back-to-back bases-loaded walks by Tigers fireballer Joel Zumaya. Closer Todd Jones came on and forced Anderson into a groundout to end the game for his eighth save. Detroit, which had dropped four of its last six games before Wednesday's win, finishes its four-game road trip in the finale of the series here Thursday.

"With this Central (Division), and the caliber of teams in it, to get a sweep is tough," Durbin said. "Coming in here and getting the first game makes a difference. It sets the tone."