Tigers visit White Sox aiming to stretch win streak
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The Detroit Tigers will shoot for a third consecutive victory on Tuesday when they battle the Chicago White Sox in the second test of a four-game series at U.S. Cellular Field.
The Tigers used a strong outing from All-Star Max Scherzer, who allowed two runs and four hits over eight innings in Detroit's 7-3 victory. Scherzer also struck out five without walking a batter.
The win pushed Scherzer's record to 14-1 this season, tying him with Tampa Bay's Matt Moore for the most victories in the majors.
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Thanks to a Cleveland loss to Seattle on Monday, Detroit was able to extend its lead atop the AL Central to 2 1/2 games. However, it wasn't all good news for the Tigers, as the club saw third baseman and reigning AL MVP Miguel Cabrera exit the game due to a sore left hip flexor muscle. Cabrera was replaced by Don Kelly and is listed as day-to-day.
"He's tough, he won't be out long," Tigers outfielder Torii Hunter said. "If you need to rest him a couple of days, I guess we have to do that. We need him for the long run."
Cabrera, who won the Triple Crown last season, is leading the AL with a .358 batting average and is second in home runs (31) and runs batted in (96).
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Victor Martinez singled four times and drove in three runs on Monday for the Tigers, who won back-to-back contests for the first time since winning five straight from July 2-6. Hunter launched a solo homer.
Chicago's Chris Sale (6-9) struck out 11 batters in an eight-inning performance on Monday, but the lefty fell to 1-7 over his last nine starts. The All-Star surrendered four runs -- two earned -- and walked three in the tough loss.
Conor Gillaspie and Dayan Viciedo homered for the last-place White Sox, who had just five hits and saw their two-game wining streak stopped. Chicago also committed three errors in the game.
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"If we play better defense, we're probably in that game a little more," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said.
Rick Porcello will take the mound Tuesday for Detroit in his first outing since serving a six-game suspension for hitting Tampa Bay's Ben Zobrist on June 30. Porcello appealed the ruling and pitched twice more before the start of the All-Star break, going 2-0 while allowing just three runs over 13 total innings in those outings.
After tossing seven shutout innings in a win at Cleveland on July 5, the right-hander beat the White Sox with a six-inning, three-run outing on July 10.
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All told, Porcello is 6-5 with a 4.92 ERA in 12 career games -- all starts -- against the White Sox.
Meanwhile, the White Sox hope lefty Hector Santiago can turn in a repeat performance of his last outing on Tuesday, even though it came in a losing effort. Santiago struck out nine batters while allowing just one run and three hits over 7 1/3 inning in Philadelphia on July 13. The Phillies won the contest by a 2-1 score.
Santiago has three no-decisions in as many July starts despite recording a strong 2.28 ERA in those outings.
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Although Santiago has appeared in seven career games against the Tigers this will be his first start. The converted reliever has compiled a 1.64 ERA in his relief appearances against Detroit.
Detroit and the White Sox have split four meetings this season after the Tigers claimed 12 of 18 encounters in 2012.