Tigers 5 - 2 White Sox
Final
  for this game

Porcello strong as Tigers salvage one against White Sox

Apr 15, 2012 - 11:31 PM

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Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Rick Porcello went 7 2/3 strong innings on Sunday and the Tigers avoided a sweep with a 5-2 win over the White Sox.

Porcello (1-0) allowed just one run -- an eighth-inning homer to Dayan Viciedo -- on five hits. He did not issue a walk and struck out four.

Gerald Laird went 3-for-4 with a solo home run while Ramon Santiago and Prince Fielder each had an RBI for Detroit, which had dropped three of its last four, including the first two games of this series.

"We were just able to bounce back off a good performance by Ricky (Porcello)," said Laird. "It was definitely a big win for us to come in here and at least get one."

Chris Sale (1-1), making his second major league start, gave up three runs on five hits over five-plus innings to take the loss. A.J. Pierzynski drove in a run in the ninth for Chicago, which saw its four-game win streak come to an end.

"We're playing good baseball, that's the bottom line," said Sale. "We've been playing great, we've been bringing it to the park every day and I just didn't show up today, I didn't give the team what they needed."

Jhonny Peralta and Laird, who led off the third with a homer, both doubled in the fifth to place runners at second and third. Sale then threw a wild pitch to Austin Jackson, allowing Peralta to score for a 2-0 Detroit lead.

Fielder doubled to begin the sixth, chasing Sale, and later scored on a wild by Nate Jones.

Porcello retired 10 straight batters before Viciedo's two-out, line drive homer to center in the eighth. Joaquin Benoit struck out Brent Morel to end the inning and Santiago and Fielder both singled home a run in the ninth to make it 5-1.

Adam Dunn doubled off of Jose Valverde to begin the ninth and Pierzynski drove him home two batters later. Valverde then allowed a one-out single to Alexei Ramirez before retiring Kosuke Fukudome and Viciedo to seal the win.

Game Notes

Detroit placed 14 runners in scoring position...The White Sox were looking for their first three-game sweep of the Tigers since 2006 and their first 3-0 start at home since 2004.






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