Rogers retires 17 straight as Tigers top White Sox
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Thursday, June 08, 2006
Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Kenny Rogers threw seven strong innings, retiring the final 17 straight batters he faced, to help Detroit avoid the a three-game sweep with a 6-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.
Rogers (8-3) picked up his first win in four starts after allowing two runs on six hits, as the Tigers stopped a three-game slide and beat the White Sox for the first time in six meetings this season.
Placido Polanco and Marcus Thames hit two-run homers, and Omar Infante and Carlos Guillen each had an RBI for Detroit, which holds a 1 1/2 game lead over Chicago for first place in the AL Central.
Jon Garland (4-3) was saddled with the loss after being charged with six runs on nine hits with a walk and seven strikeouts. Paul Konerko had a two-run home run for the White Sox, who have lost six of their last nine games.
The game was knotted at 2-2 going into the sixth inning, but the Tigers scored four times to take control of the game. With two outs and Ivan Rodriguez on second, Guillen smacked a single to center that scored Rodriguez, and Guillen moved to second on the throw to home. Infante plated Guillen with a single and Thames followed with a homer over the left field wall to make it a 6-2 contest.
Rogers settled down after giving up two runs in the first. He allowed two singles in the second, but mowed down the final 17 batters before being replaced on the mound in the eighth by Fernando Rodney.
Todd Jones shut down Chicago in the ninth to secure the victory.
The White Sox jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first. Jim Thome punched a two- out single to center and Konerko followed that with a blast over the right- center field wall.
Detroit tied the game in the third inning. Chris Shelton drew a lead-off walk, but the next two Detroit batters recorded outs. Polanco, though, smacked a 1-0 pitch over the left field wall for his second home run of the season.
Game Notes
White Sox third baseman Joe Crede left the game in the third inning with a lower back strain. He is listed as day-to-day...The White Sox host Cleveland for a three-game set starting on Friday...Rogers improved to 14-7 versus the White Sox...The Tigers travel to Toronto for a three-game set starting on Friday...Garland fell to 10-5 versus Detroit. |
