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Home runs carry White Sox over Tigers

Jun 4, 2011 - 5:33 AM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Carlos Quentin belted a three-run homer while Juan Pierre and Brent Lillibridge also went deep, as the Chicago White Sox held off the Detroit Tigers for a 6-4 win in the opener of a three-game set.

Mark Buehrle (5-4) got the win in six innings for the White Sox, who were coming off a three-game sweep of Boston at Fenway Park. The starter allowed three runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts.

Casper Wells had a three-run homer for the Tigers, who had a four-game win streak snapped.

Detroit starter Andy Oliver (0-1) was touched for four runs on six hits and five walks over 3 2/3 innings.

The White Sox were never comfortable in this one as the Tigers made it a one- run game in the eighth. Three consecutive one-out singles loaded the bases for Alex Avila, who ripped a shot to the left warning track. Pierre chased it down before slamming into the fence, but Victor Martinez tagged up and scored to make it a 5-4 game.

After making the spectacular catch, Pierre lead off the bottom of the inning with his first homer of the season to send it back to a two-run cushion.

"He never gives up and he never will," Ozzie Guillen said of Pierre. "The guy works hard and shows up every day to play. He'll be in the lineup no matter what."

Sergio Santos walked Austin Jackson to lead off the final frame, but got pinch-hitter Andy Dirks to pop out. Brennan Boesch grounded into the second out which placed Miguel Cabrera in the batter's box representing the tying run. Santos, however, got the slugger to strike out swinging for his 10th save of the season.

Oliver found himself in trouble early, loading the bases with no outs in the first. He could have easily escaped the jam without any damage after popping out A.J. Pierzynski and Alex Rios hit a chopper right back to the pitcher. However, Oliver only went to first instead of going to any other base for a possible inning-ending double play, sending Pierre home. Lillibridge then popped out to short to end the possible big-run frame.

The young southpaw bailed himself out of another jam in the third with runners on second and third and no outs. Oliver buckled down again to get Rios to pop out, Lillibridge to strike out and Adam Dunn to ground out.

Oliver wasn't able to get out of the fourth unharmed. With two outs, Pierre walked and Alexei Ramirez singled to set the table for Quentin's three-run homer over the fence in left to put the White Sox up 4-0.

"He's a great prospect," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "At this stage, that's where he's at. I think you can see he's not quite ready yet, but that's OK. He got his feet wet a little bit."

Wells made it a one-run game on just one swing in the fifth. With Danny Worth and Jackson on base, Wells ripped a Buehrle offering into the left field seats.

However, Lillibridge lead off the bottom half with a home run to push it to a 5-3 contest. Later in the inning Chicago had the bases loaded with no outs, but failed to score any more runs as Charlie Furbush forced two groundouts, including Ramirez' 6-4-3 double play ground ball to end the threat.

Game Notes

Chicago snapped a nine-game losing streak to Detroit...The White Sox scratched first baseman Paul Konerko because of a procedure on a bone spur in his left wrist...The Tigers have hit an extra-base hit in all 56 games this season, breaking the longest streak to start the season by a Tigers teams since 1919. It also marks the longest by an American League club since Tampa Bay collected an extra-base hit in 77 games to begin the 2007 season...Detroit placed third baseman Brandon Inge on the 15-day disabled list with Mononucleosis on Friday. Tigers filled the roster spot by recalling catcher Omir Santos from Triple-A Toledo.