Sox 5, Tigers 0; Jackson Dominates Tigers

Edwin Jackson, who many times has 101 pitches in the 6th inning, needed only that many to throw a complete game shutout today against the Tigers.  The Tigers managed to get 9 hits, and had 2 men on base in four innings but Jackson denied them the big hit.  

The Sox got their scoring started in the 2nd inning, as Carlos Quentin hit his first home run in more than a month with a solo shot off of Max Scherzer.  In the 3rd, Juan Pierre slashed a single to left with 1 out.  He stole 2nd base and scored on a Paul Konerko 2 out single. 

In the bottom of the 2nd, Miguel Cabrera led off with a walk, but was quickly erased on the first of two Victor Martinez double plays.  Gordon Beckham made a slick play on a rocket off the bat of Martinez to start the 4-6-3.  In the 3rd, Alex Avila and Andy Dirks each had singles, bringing up Brennan Boesch and Magglio Ordonez.  Boesch struck out and Ordonez chopped slowly to third to end the threat.  In the 4th, Jhonny Peralta and Carlos Guillen had 2 out singles, but Avila flew to left to end the inning.  In the 6th, Cabrera hit a 1 out double and Martinez followed with a walk but Peralta grounded out to Jackson and Guillen rolled one to Konerko to get Jackson out of another jam.

In the top of the 7th Beckham singled to left and Mark Teahen hit an opposite field double to put men at 2nd and 3rd with one out for Pierre.  Juan seemingly got the job done with a fly ball to right as Beckham slid in safely beating Magglio Ordonez' throw, but the Tigers appealed to third and Beckham was called out for leaving too soon.  Replays showed that this call was botched, but thankfully it didn't come back to haunt the Sox.

The Sox put the game out of reach in the 9th off of Jose Valverde, as Quentin led off with an infield single.  After pinch runner Brent Lillibridge stole 2nd and an Alex Rios strikeout, A.J. Pierzynski was intentionally walked and a passed ball by Avila put men on 2nd and 3rd.  Beckham smashed a ball through the right side on the drawn in infield to score Lillibridge, which made it 3-0.  Brent Morel, who replaced Teahen for defensive purposes, hit a chopper over the mound that A.J. scored on.  Pierre followed that with his 4th hit of the game to score Beckham.  It was Pierre's first 4 hit game since August 18th of last year.  

Jackson had to talk his way back onto the mound in the 9th.  He got Peralta to ground to short and Guillen to chop to second before Avila one hopped the wall in left center field.  Don Kelly flew out to Rios to end the game and give Jackson the shutout.

The Sox have now taken the first two games of this series, and look to sweep tomorrow as Philip Humber squares off against Brad Penny at noon.

* Jackson only recorded 2 strikeouts on the day.

* The Sox stole 4 bases ( Pierre (2), Lillibridge, Beckham).

* Quentin's home run was his first in 105 at bats.  He hadn't homered since June 8th vs. Seattle, he hit two that day.

* Jackson's last shutout was the no hitter he pitched for the Diamondbacks.  He needed 149 pitches that day and only 101 today.

* I have decided I really can't stand Jose Valverde.  It seemed like he took 5 minutes in between pitches in the 9th. 

WP: Jackson

LP: Scherzer

Record: 46-48| Box