Detroit Tigers Show Dominance in Sweep of Chicago White Sox
After weeks on inconsistent play, the Detroit Tigers are looking to build off a dominant three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox.
The Detroit Tigers welcomed the Chicago White Sox to Comerica Park for a three-game set in the first weekend of June.
It was the first meeting with the White Sox in 2016, which meant it was the first time seeing guys like Todd Frazier, Jimmy Rollins, Brett Lawrie, and former Tiger Alex Avila in White Sox uniforms.
The White Sox got off to a hot start in the regular season and found themselves at the top of the AL Central. But, the Tigers took advantage of their recent slip of losing seven of their last eight games, and dusted them with a three-game sweep.
In the first game of the series, Jordan Zimmermann made his first start since injuring his groin in his May 22 start against the Tampa Bay Rays. Zimm left that game early, missed his next start, and then returned in dominating fashion. He worked through 5.2 innings, and allowed just two runs.
Thanks to Zimm’s strong outing and 10 runs on 14 hits, the Tigers defeated Sox starter Carlos Rodon and breezed to a 10-3 win.
The next day, the Tigers would really have their work cut out for them. Mike Pelfrey took the ball, squaring off against an early Cy Young candidate in southpaw Chris Sale.
The Sox touched up Pelf early in the first inning with a single off the bat of Frazier that scored one run, but stranded runners on second and third to end the inning. The Tigers also had chances in the first inning, but settled with one run courtesy of a J.D. Martinez sacrifice fly that scored Cameron Maybin.
Adam Eaton scored in the third inning off of a Tyler Saladino groundout, and the Sox went ahead, 2-1.
The White Sox held onto their slim lead until the sixth inning, where Martinez belted a go-ahead home run into the left field seats that chased Sale out of the game.
The wheels fell off for the White Sox, and the Tigers tacked on four more runs. Eaton doubled in Rollins and former Tiger Avisail Garcia in the ninth, but it wasn’t enough to edge their rivals, losing 7-4. Pelfrey recorded his first win of the season thanks to six innings of two-run ball.
Yes, you read that correctly. Mike Pelfrey recorded a win. 1-5, isn’t pretty, but he’s currently on a dominating one-game win streak. I’ll take it.
Looking to avoid the sweep in Game 3, the Sox were faithful in Jose Quintana to baffle the Tigers’ mighty lineup. He was unable to get his sixth victory of the season, and lasted only 4.2 innings while surrendering five runs on nine hits.
Backed by an incredible Justin Verlander in which he breezed through seven innings and allowed two runs, the Tigers finalized the sweep and sent the Sox home with three straight defeats. It was the sixth straight start where Verlander pitched beyond the seventh inning.
The Tigers dominated the South Side Sox, and have climbed back to a .500 record (28-28). After weeks of inconsistency, this past series was undoubtedly their best of the season.
The starting rotation and the bullpen was masterful over the weekend showdown. They gave up only nine runs in the entire series, and each starting pitcher recorded a win (Zimmermann, Pelfrey, Verlander).
What was most fun to watch was how well the Tigers swung the bat. They scored 22 runs, and racked up 37 hits while hitting just three long balls in the entire series. There may not have been a day for free Arby’s Curly Fries, but the offense was on a tear.
Finally, the Tigers are doing what we expected them to do. Their offense is rolling, their pitching has been in command, and they’re on a nice little run with four victories in their last five contests.
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The Tigers currently find themselves 3.5 games out of the driver’s seat in the American League Central, but they’re certainly on the prowl heading into another three-game set at home against the Toronto Blue Jays.