Detroit Tigers fall to Chicago White Sox 6-5, Porcello struggles

Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Tigers faced off against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago with Rick Porcello on the mound and fell to their AL Central foes 6-5. Porcello had a rough first inning, giving off a lead off triple to Adam Eaton who scored when Gordon Beckham singled in the next at bat. Rick was able to collect himself and retire the next three batters to end the early threat. Porcello had trouble again in the bottom of the third, walking Tyler Flowers, who scored after a double by Beckham and a single by Conor Gillaspie, who notched the RBI. Porcello then got Abreu to hit into a double play to end the inning.

Porcello ran into a bit of bad luck and bad fielding that resulted in back-to-back errors in the bottom of the fourth. After retiring the first two batters, J.D. Martinez misplayed a Dayan Viciedo fly which put Viciedo on second, then Victor Martinez made his first error of the season at first base on a Alejandro De Aza grounder. Porcello again pitched out of the trouble and got Tyler Flowers to ground out to end the inning.

The wheels started to fall off in the fifth inning, with Beckham getting yet another hit, a ground rule double, followed by a Gillaspie single to score Beckham and a two run homer by Jose Abreu. Porcello came back out to start the sixth, but gave up a bunt single to De Aza, who advanced to second on Porcello’s botched throw to first. Brad Ausmus replaced Porcello with Corey Knebel, who allowed a single to Eaton, which scored the runner he inherited. Knebel was able to retire Beckham for the first time, getting him to ground into a double play to end the inning.

Porcello’s final line was 5IP, 9H, 6R/5ER, 1BB, 4K.

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Ian Krol pitched the seventh inning and gave up a hit and walked two to load the bases, but was able to get out of the inning without allowing a run to score. Evan Reed pitched the eighth and was very sharp, not allowing a base runner and racking up two strike outs.

The Tigers hitters struggled against Hector Noesi  the first time through the order, until #8 hitter Alex Avila beat the shift with one out in the third. Detroit didn’t tally their first run until the fourth inning on a no-doubter solo shot by Miguel Cabrera. Rookie Eugenio Suarez hit his second career home run in the fifth, and Victor Martinez crushed a two run shot after Miggy singled in the sixth.

The Tigers rallied in the ninth inning when Jackson doubled to lead off  and scored on Avila’s double in the next at bat. Avila was lifted for pinch runner Rajai Davis, who advanced to third on a Eugenio Suarez sacrifice fly. That’s where Davis stayed, though, with a strikeout by Kinsler and a fly out by pinch hitter Torii Hunter to end the rally and the game.

The Tigers play the White Sox tomorrow night at 8:10pm at U.S. Cellular Field where Justin Verlander will take on John Danks.