Alejandro De Aza hit his first Major League home run in the 2nd inning and John Danks, Chris Sale and Sergio Santos made it hold up as the White Sox took the rubber game from the Tigers. The Sox are now 3 1/2 games behind the Tigers in the division.
Alexei Ramirez walked with one out in the 2nd, which brought up De Aza who deposited a Max Scherzer change up into the seats above the bullpen bar in right field for the only Sox runs of the game.
John Danks shut the Tigers out through 6 innings before surrendering a solo shot to Austin Jackson leading off the 7th. Chris Sale was brought in and retired all 8 men he faced in dominating fashion. With 2 outs in the 9th, Ozzie Guillen called upon Sergio Santos to face pinch hitter Brennan Boesch, who flew out to Carlos Quentin to end the game.
Both teams had plenty of opportunities to put some runs on the board. The Tigers stranded 9 runners between the 3rd and 6th innings. Carlos Guillen, Alex Avila and Jackson each singled to load the bases with one out in the 3rd. Danks struck out Ryan Raburn and got Magglio Ordonez to hit into a force out to end the inning. In the 4th, Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez both walked to lead off the inning. After a visit from Don Cooper, Danks struck out Jhonny Peralta, Guillen and Wilson Betemit to end the threat. In the 5th, Avila singled and Raburn walked, but Ordonez struck out and Cabrera lined out to center as De Aza made a nice running catch. In the 6th Peralta was hit by a pitch and Betemit singled with 2 outs, but Danks struck out Avila looking.
The Sox had multiple men on in the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 8th and came away with nothing. Quentin struck out with 2 men on in the first. In the third, Ramirez flew out to left to end the inning with men on 2nd and 3rd. In the 5th, with Adam Dunn on first, A.J. Pierzynski blooped a ball over Cabrera's head into shallow right field. Ordonez got to the ball and gunned A.J. down at 2nd to end the inning. In the 7th, Juan Pierre led off with an infield single. After Omar Vizquel bunted him to 2nd, Paul Konerko was intentionally walked. Dunn drew his 3rd walk of the game to load the bases for Quentin. Quentin hit a shallow fly ball to left and Raburn threw out Pierre at the plate to end the inning.
* Dunn reached base in all 4 of his plate appearances (3 walks, 1 single).
* De Aza looked smooth in all of his attempts in center field.
* Danks got out of jams by striking out the Tigers. He K'd 10 on the day, which tied his career high.
* I can't stress how good Chris Sale was out of the bullpen. He breezed through the Tiger lineup.
WP: John Danks (4-8)
LP: Max Scherzer (11-6)
S: Sergio Santos (21)
HR: De Aza (1), Jackson (5)
Record: 51-52| Box