GDT145: 9/10/13 - DET (82-62) AT CWS (58-85) - 8:10 p.m. ET

Tigers: RHP Rick Porcello (11-8, 4.76 ERA)

Just when Porcello seemed to have found his ground-ball game for the stretch run, the Red Sox hit him for a career-high three home runs over five-plus innings. His demise in Boston, though, came down to a season-high four walks.



White Sox: RHP Erik Johnson (0-1, 4.50 ERA)

Johnson made his Major League debut on Wednesday vs. the Yankees after getting called up from Triple-A Charlotte. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits and three walks with one strikeout in six innings and took the loss.





Tigers try to even series against White Sox rookie
Division lead down to 4 1/2, Porcello squares off against Johnson

By Bobby Nightengale / MLB.com | 9/9/2013 11:36 PM ET

White Sox ace Chris Sale was able to stifle to the Tigers in a 5-1 win on Monday night, and the South Siders are hoping they can showcase a future ace, rookie Erik Johnson, in his first home start on Tuesday.

Johnson, who is ranked No. 2 by MLB.com among the White Sox top prospects, went 12-3 with a 1.96 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 141 innings over 24 Minor League starts between Double-A and Triple-A. The 23-year-old right-hander allowed five runs (three earned) on seven hits in six innings in his Major League debut on Wednesday against the Yankees.

"I'm looking forward to it, but it's just like any other start," Johnson said. "I try to treat each start like that and hopefully, I'll build off my first one and the second one goes as planned."

The Tigers, losers of five of six, are in need of win after watching their American League Central lead reduced to 4 1/2 games over the hard-charging Indians, who have won five of six.

Rick Porcello will take the mound for the Tigers, facing the White Sox for the fifth time since July 10. He's 3-0 with a 2.36 ERA in those four starts, but he is coming off a rough outing against the Red Sox. On Wednesday, Porcello gave up eight earned runs on seven hits and four walks in five innings. It was the most walks he's allowed in a start this year.

"Obviously leadoff walks come around to score pretty frequently in this league," Porcello said. "I think failure to get anybody out after that is pretty big, too."

Tigers: Pitchers holding runners better
After 24 consecutive stolen bases against Detroit pitching, the Tigers threw out two would-be basestealers in four attempts in their weekend series against the Royals.

"I think we did a good job," manager Jim Leyland said. "We're conscious of it. Sometimes they just get hung up on throwing to the plate and they forget about [the runner]."

The Royals stole nine bases over a five-game series against the Tigers last month.

"That's something that we focused on a little better this weekend," Leyland said. "We did a pretty good job of it, really."

White Sox: Dunn explains comments about retirement
• Adam Dunn talked about his non-retirement comments last week and stressed he would only retire if the game was no longer enjoyable for him, regardless of stats or money owed to him.

Dunn has made similar comments in the past.

"For some reason, people take that as I'm retiring. Is this year hard? Yeah, it's hard," Dunn said. "Has it been one of the harder ones? Yeah, because the expectations that we had in this locker room were so high. To play like we are playing, it's a huge letdown. I don't know where that comes into that I'm retiring."

• Avisail Garcia had root canals performed on two different teeth Monday, but manager Robin Ventura said he may be able to return to the lineup on Tuesday.

Worth noting
• Gordon Beckham is hitting .435 with four doubles and four RBIs in 23 career at-bats against Porcello. It's the best batting average for any player with at least 20 at-bats against the Tigers right-hander.

• Dunn needs one home run to tie Andre Dawson for 39th place on the all-time home run list with 438 homers.


Bobby Nightengale is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.





INJURY UPDATE:


• RHP Octavio Dotel (Right elbow inflammation, transferred from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list on June 8, 2013.)





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• WED, Sep 11:
TIGERS: (RHP Anibal Sanchez (13-7, 2.61 ERA)) AT
White Sox: (LHP Jose Quintana (7-6, 3.70 ERA))
8:10  p.m. ET (FS-D / FM 97.1)


• THU, Sep 12:
OFF DAY


• FRI, Sep 13:
TIGERS: (RHP Justin Verlander (12-11, 3.64 ERA)) VS
ROYALS (LHP Danny Duffy (2-0, 1.85 ERA))
7:08  p.m. ET (FS-D / FM 97.1)


• SAT, Sep 14:
TIGERS: (RHP TBA (TBA ERA)) VS
ROYALS (LHP Bruce Chen (7-2, 2.79 ERA))
7:08  p.m. ET (FS-D, MLBN / FM 97.1)


• SUN, Sep 15:
TIGERS: (RHP TBA (TBA ERA)) VS
ROYALS (RHP Ervin Santana (8-9, 3.35 ERA))
1:08  p.m. ET (FS-D, TBS / WXYT 1270)

STARTING LINEUPS:

Detroit
Jackson, A, CF
Dirks, LF
Cabrera, M, 3B
Fielder, 1B
Martinez, V, DH
Kelly, D, RF
Infante, 2B
Avila, C
Iglesias, SS


Chi White Sox
De Aza, CF
Beckham, G, 2B
Ramirez, Al, SS
Dunn, A, DH
Konerko, 1B
Garcia, A, RF
Gillaspie, 3B
Viciedo, LF
Phegley, C

Detroit - Top of 1st
Erik Johnson pitching for Chicago
A Jackson struck out swinging.
A Dirks singled to left.
A Dirks to second on passed ball by J Phegley.
M Cabrera safe at second on throwing error by third baseman C Gillaspie, A Dirks scored.
DET 1 - 0

P Fielder singled to left, M Cabrera to third.
V Martinez hit sacrifice fly to left, M Cabrera scored.
DET 2 - 0

D Kelly flied out to right.


Chicago - Bottom of 1st
Rick Porcello pitching for Detroit
A De Aza grounded out to second.
G Beckham singled to right.
A Ramirez grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, G Beckham out at second.

DET 2 - 0 AFTER 1 INNING

Detroit - Top of 2nd
Erik Johnson pitching for Chicago
O Infante flied out to center.
A Avila walked.
J Iglesias grounded into fielder's choice to third, A Avila out at second.
A Jackson struck out looking.


Chicago - Bottom of 2nd
Rick Porcello pitching for Detroit
A Dunn grounded out to second.
P Konerko singled to right.
A Garcia flied out to center.
C Gillaspie doubled to right, P Konerko to third.
D Viciedo lined out to pitcher.

DET 2 - 0 AFTER 2 INNINGS

Detroit - Top of 3rd
Erik Johnson pitching for Chicago
A Dirks grounded out to first.
M Cabrera flied out to center.
P Fielder homered to right.
DET 3 - 0

V Martinez singled to left.
D Kelly walked, V Martinez to second.
O Infante safe at first on error by first baseman P Konerko, V Martinez to third, D Kelly to second.
A Avila singled to center, V Martinez and D Kelly scored, O Infante to second.
DET 5 - 0

J Iglesias grounded out to first.


Chicago - Bottom of 3rd
Rick Porcello pitching for Detroit
J Phegley singled to center.
A De Aza flied out to left.
G Beckham grounded out to shortstop, J Phegley to second.
J Phegley to third on wild pitch by R Porcello.
A Ramirez struck out swinging.

DET 5 - 0 AFTER 3 INNINGS

Detroit - Top of 4th
Erik Johnson pitching for Chicago
A Jackson hit a ground rule double to deep right.
A Dirks struck out swinging.
M Cabrera struck out swinging.
P Fielder singled to center, A Jackson scored.
DET 6 - 0

P Fielder to second on wild pitch by E Johnson.
V Martinez walked.
D Purcey relieved E Johnson.
D Kelly fouled out to third.


Chicago - Bottom of 4th
Rick Porcello pitching for Detroit
A Dunn struck out swinging.
P Konerko singled to center.
A Garcia reached on infield single to pitcher, P Konerko to second.
C Gillaspie singled to right, P Konerko scored, A Garcia to second, A Garcia to third on error by right fielder D Kelly.
DET 6 - 1

D Viciedo struck out swinging.
J Phegley grounded into fielder's choice to third, C Gillaspie out at second.

DET 6 - 1 AFTER 4 INNINGS

Detroit - Top of 5th
David Purcey pitching for Chicago
O Infante flied out to center.
A Avila doubled to deep right center.
J Iglesias grounded out to third.
A Jackson safe at second on throwing error by third baseman C Gillaspie, A Avila scored.
DET 7 - 1

A Dirks lined out to center.


Chicago - Bottom of 5th
Rick Porcello pitching for Detroit
A De Aza grounded out to first.
G Beckham flied out to left.
A Ramirez grounded out to pitcher.

DET 7 - 1 AFTER 5 INNINGS

Detroit - Top of 6th
Charlie Leesman pitching for Chicago
C Leesman relieved D Purcey.
M Cabrera flied out to right.
P Fielder singled to left.
V Martinez grounded into double play, third to second to first, P Fielder out at second.


Chicago - Bottom of 6th
Rick Porcello pitching for Detroit
A Dunn flied out to left.
P Konerko grounded out to shortstop.
A Garcia flied out to center.

DET 7 - 1 AFTER 6 INNINGS

Detroit - Top of 7th
Charlie Leesman pitching for Chicago
M Gonzalez catching.
D Kelly safe at first on error by third baseman C Gillaspie.
O Infante grounded into double play, third to second to first, D Kelly out at second.
A Avila singled to left center.
J Iglesias doubled to left, A Avila to third.
A Jackson grounded out to pitcher.


Chicago - Bottom of 7th
Rick Porcello pitching for Detroit
L Garcia hit for C Gillaspie.
L Garcia struck out swinging.
D Viciedo grounded out to third.
M Gonzalez grounded out to third.

DET 7 - 1 AFTER 7 INNINGS

Detroit - Top of 8th
Donnie Veal pitching for Chicago
M Semien at second base.
L Garcia at third base.
D Veal relieved C Leesman.
A Dirks grounded out to first.
M Cabrera flied out to right.
P Fielder struck out swinging.


Chicago - Bottom of 8th
Rick Porcello pitching for Detroit
A De Aza flied out to center.
M Semien grounded out to shortstop.
A Ramirez flied out to center.

DET 7 - 1 AFTER 8 INNINGS

Detroit - Top of 9th
Daniel Webb pitching for Chicago
D Webb relieved D Veal.
V Martinez singled to right center.
H Perez ran for V Martinez.
D Kelly flied out to center.
O Infante flied out to right.
A Avila singled to right, H Perez to second.
J Iglesias singled to center, H Perez scored, A Avila to second.
DET 8 - 1

A Jackson singled to right, A Avila scored, J Iglesias to second.
DET 9 - 1

A Dirks grounded into fielder's choice to second, A Jackson out at second.


Chicago - Bottom of 9th
Rick Porcello pitching for Detroit
R Santiago at third base.
A Dunn walked.
P Konerko grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, A Dunn out at second.
A Garcia struck out swinging.


TIGERS WIN 9-1

CLICK HERE FOR BOX SCORE


W: Porcello
L: Johnson, E


GAME INFO

WP: Porcello, Johnson, E.
Pitches-strikes: Porcello 105-77, Johnson, E 96-57, Purcey 21-12, Leesman 26-17, Veal 9-6, Webb, D 18-14.
Groundouts-flyouts: Porcello 12-7, Johnson, E 5-4, Purcey 2-1, Leesman 4-1, Veal 1-1, Webb, D 1-2.
Batters faced: Porcello 33, Johnson, E 23, Purcey 6, Leesman 8, Veal 3, Webb, D 7.
Inherited runners-scored: Purcey 2-0.
Umpires: HP: Tony Randazzo. 1B: Larry Vanover. 2B: Manny Gonzalez. 3B: Brian Gorman.
Weather: 90 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 12 mph, In from RF.
T: 2:52.
Att: 19,172.
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field.
September 10, 2013

CONGRATS RICK PORCELLO ON YOUR 1ST COMPLETE GAME