| SEASON | CAREER |
| W9 | 47 |
| L11 | 41 |
| G27 | 116 |
| IP157.1 | 672.0 |
| BB37 | 173 |
| SO95 | 372 |
| SEASON | CAREER |
| W5 | 5 |
| L4 | 4 |
| G20 | 20 |
| IP115.0 | 115.0 |
| BB30 | 30 |
| SO65 | 65 |
The Detroit Tigers have dominated the Chicago White Sox this year, but still find themselves trailing in the AL Central.
The teams begin a critical four-game set at U.S. Cellular Field on Monday night as the White Sox try to snap a seven-game skid versus the Tigers and create some breathing room atop the division.
Detroit has swept consecutive three-game home series against Chicago in the last two months, each time taking at least a share of the Central lead. However, both times the Tigers have been unable to build any sort of momentum.
Chicago (75-64), which has been outscored 43-22 during its losing streak against Detroit (73-66), opens this week with a two-game lead in the division.
However, neither team is playing very good right now. The Tigers were swept in three straight by the Los Angeles Angels to open a 10-game road trip while the White Sox dropped two of three to Kansas City at home.
"Obviously you don't want to lose that series and I thought we played OK today," Gordon Beckham said after Sunday's 2-1 loss in 10 innings. "An important series coming up and no rest. We've got to come back tomorrow and do it. We know it's important. We're excited to play them at home and not in Detroit, I guess."
Chicago's biggest issue is its inability to hit with runners in scoring position. Including the most recent series in Detroit, the White Sox are batting .198 (17 for 86) with runners on second or third over the last nine games. They were 2 for 10 Sunday.
They could, however, have some reinforcements in their starting lineup for the series opener. Kevin Youkilis is expected to be reinstated from the paternity list following a three-game absence while Alexei Ramirez figures to be back in a starting role after entering as a pinch runner in the seventh after arriving late for Sunday's game.
Adam Dunn , who missed all three games over the weekend, is day to day with a strained oblique.
Since moving into a first-place tie with a three-game sweep of Chicago, Detroit has lost five of six and was held to five total runs in three consecutive losses to the Angels.
"You've got to put this one behind you, and we've got to get ready for the White Sox tomorrow," manager Jim Leyland told the Tigers' official website. "We can't do anything about this one. But certainly we had two of the games where we had our shot, and that's what happens when you don't get a big hit."
Delmon Young had a frustrating series, going 2 for 11 with five strikeouts while grounding into two double plays.
However, he was instrumental in the Tigers' sweep of the White Sox earlier this month, driving in seven runs and hitting two homers.
Rick Porcello (9-11, 4.58 ERA) will try to get the Tigers off to a good start in the final series between these teams.
Although he's lost a career-worst five straight starts, the right-hander has a 3.97 ERA in the last four outings but has received no runs of support during that span.
He gave up three runs in 5 2-3 innings of a 3-2 loss to Cleveland on Tuesday.
Porcello has been stellar against Chicago lately, going 5-0 with a 2.27 ERA in the last six starts, including 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA in three outings this season.
That might not leave much room for error for Jose Quintana (5-4, 3.68), who has been tagged for 12 runs over five innings in his last two starts - both losses.
His last outing was his worst of the season, as the left-hander lasted 1 1-3 innings and allowed seven runs and five hits in an 18-9 loss to Minnesota.
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AVG
HRRUNSSBSOBBOBPSLGOPSERAQSSOBBSVBSBAAWHIPE
VS.
| HITTERS | AB | AVG | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | OBP | OPS | SLG |
| Gordon Beckham | 9 | .444 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | .500 | 1.500 | 1.000 |
| Alejandro De Aza | 5 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .167 | .167 | .000 |
| Adam Dunn | 3 | .333 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 | 1.000 | .667 |
| Eduardo Escobar | 3 | .333 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .666 | .333 |
| Kosuke Fukudome | 15 | .133 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .133 | .533 | .400 |
| Paul Konerko | 20 | .400 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | .478 | 1.178 | .700 |
| Brent Morel | 8 | .125 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .125 | .625 | .500 |
| A.J. Pierzynski | 16 | .188 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .235 | .423 | .188 |
| Alexei Ramirez | 22 | .227 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .227 | .591 | .364 |
| Alex Rios | 19 | .211 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | .211 | .737 | .526 |
| Dayan Viciedo | 6 | .333 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .333 | 1.166 | .833 |
 Detroit Tigers |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| August 23, 2012 | Doug Fister | Day-to-Day | Tightness in right groin |
| August 23, 2012 | Miguel Cabrera | Day-to-Day | Left game - Right ankle soreness |
| August 01, 2012 | Ryan Raburn | 15-Day DL | Sprained right thumb |
| August 01, 2012 | Ryan Raburn | 15-Day DL | Sprained right thumb |
| July 07, 2012 | Drew Smyly | 15-Day DL | Right intercostal strain |
| July 07, 2012 | Drew Smyly | 15-Day DL | Right intercostal strain |
 Chicago White Sox |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| September 07, 2012 | Adam Dunn | Day-to-Day | Strained right oblique |
| August 27, 2012 | Gavin Floyd | 15-Day DL | Right elbow flexor strain |
| August 26, 2012 | Gavin Floyd | Day-to-Day | Right elbow discomfort |
| August 25, 2012 | Dayan Viciedo | Day-to-Day | Right shoulder soreness |
| August 19, 2012 | Kevin Youkilis | Day-to-Day | Sore right knee |
| August 18, 2012 | Alejandro De Aza | 15-Day DL | Bruised left ribcage |
CHICAGO (AP) -- The White Sox have been getting runners on. The trouble's been getting them in during a stretch in which they're trying to hold on to the top spot in the AL Central.
Alex Rios provided a solution with one swing Monday night, a three-run homer that propelled the White Sox to a 6-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers and increased Chicago's division lead to three games.
Rios's drive put the White Sox ahead, A.J. Pierzynski followed with a solo shot and Jose Quintana survived a shaky start to pitch one-run ball into the eighth.
"I think when Rios hits that ball, it just kinds of pops the cork on all the angst of not getting guys in," Chicago manager Robin Ventura said. "That was a pretty big home run for us."
The White Sox had lost seven straight to Detroit, managed just two hits against Rick Porcello (9-12) and were 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position when an error on Detroit second baseman Omar Infante gave them an opening.
Infante muffed Dewayne Wise 's easy, one-out grounder in the sixth. Paul Konerko singled to left to put runners at the corners and Rios lined a pitch over the wall in left center, his 23rd homer of the season. Pierzynski followed with his 26th to center field for a 4-1 lead, ending Porcello's night and sending him to his sixth straight loss. Gordon Beckham added a two-run shot in the eighth off Octavio Dotel .
"We struggled the last games against them and this win being the first one of the series is pretty big," Rios said. "This whole series is pretty important for both of the teams. We are going to have a chance to maybe get a couple of games ahead if we win the series. It could decide what is going to happen at the end of the year."
Quintana (6-4), who was 1-3 in his previous 10 starts, retired 10 straight before walking Ryan Raburn with two outs in the eight and being replaced by Brian Omogrosso . Miguel Cabrera doubled before Donnie Veal got Prince Fielder to ground out to second.
Quintana had failed to make it out of the fourth inning in his two previous outings but settled down after a shaky start Monday night and allowed one run on seven hits - none after Gerald Lair's fifth inning double - in 7 2-3 innings.
He walked two and struck out seven and got Miguel Cabrera to ground into a double play with two on and no outs in the third and the Tigers leading 1-0.
"As soon as he got that double play, he settled down. It was the biggest play of the game," Pierzynski said.
"He (Cabera) is probably the best hitter in baseball right now. You could see Q's confidence grow and you kind of see the team's confidence grow. ...This is probably the biggest game he ever pitched in his life."
Porcello, 3-0 this season against the White Sox entering the game, gave up five hits and four runs - three earned - in 5 1-3 innings. Detroit made three errors in the game, and the Tigers have now lost four straight.
"When you get in a tough situation like that, you've got to bear down and find something within to get out of those jams. I wasn't able to do that," Porcello said
"They caught me that one inning," he said. "They tagged it in the sixth."
Delmon Young , who led Detroit's three-game sweep of the White Sox at Comerica Park a little more than a week ago, continued his tear with a one-out single in the second, moved on up on Quintana's wild pitch and scored on Jhonny Peralta 's RBI single. Peralta was thrown out trying to stretch or it could have an even bigger inning since Avisail Garcia and Omar Infante followed with infield singles before Quintana got the third out.
Detroit has managed just six runs total in its four-game losing streak.
"It's pretty simple. We just didn't play a real good game defensively and of course we only got the one run again. That pretty much sums it up," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.
"Omar missed a groundball, but that's just part of the game. ... Unfortunately we put Rick in a tough bind. When you're scoring one, two runs a game, you can hardly blame your defense for what's going on. Right now we're just not scoring runs."
NOTES: White Sox DH Adam Dunn missed his fourth straight game with a strained right oblique. 3B Kevin Youkilis returned to the team after missing three games to be with his wife as she gave birth to their child. And Ventura said it's likely Gavin Floyd will return to the rotation for Wednesday's Game 3. He's been on the DL since Aug. 28 with a right elbow strain. ... Young entered the game with a .359 average in 36 games at U.S. Cellular Field with seven homers and 25 RBIs. ... Detroit still leads the season series 10-5. ... It's Detroit's Doug Fister (8-8) against Chicago's Jake Peavy (10-10) in Tuesday night's Game 2 of the pivotal four-game series.
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Detroit Tigers