Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Johnny Damon hit a go-ahead two-run triple in the eighth inning, as the Detroit Tigers outlasted the Chicago White Sox, 13-8, in the rubber match of a three-game series at U.S. Cellular Field.
Damon also doubled and scored twice, while Jhonny Peralta hit two homers and drove in three for Detroit, which has won three of four. Ryan Raburn homered for the third time in four games, and Miguel Cabrera added a solo shot -- his 27th of the season -- in the win.
Brad Thomas (5-1) took the win for tossing a perfect seventh inning. Tigers starter Armando Galarraga worked five innings and yielded four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits with a pair of walks and five strikeouts. He has not won a game since beating the New York Mets on June 24.
Paul Konerko hit a two-run homer and Andruw Jones turned in a 3-for-4 effort with a solo shot for the White Sox, who have dropped six of their last eight to fall three games behind Minnesota for the top spot in the American League Central. The Twins defeated Oakland on Sunday.
Freddy Garcia got the starting nod for Chicago and was charged with eight hits and five runs over five innings. The right-hander struck out four and walked two.
With the White Sox holding a slim 7-6 lead, J.J. Putz (5-5) entered in the eighth and gave up a leadoff base hit to Raburn, who stole second after the next two batters stuck out. Austin Jackson drew a walk before Damon brought in the tying and go-ahead runs with a triple off the center field wall to put the Tigers up 8-7. Pinch-hitter Brandon Inge's fly ball to deep center clicked off of Jones' glove for a two-base error that plated Damon.
Jones made up for his gaffe with a leadoff homer in the home eighth off Ryan Perry. Gordon Beckham worked a walk and went to second on Juan Pierre's sac bunt. The young right-hander prevented further damage by striking out Alexei Ramirez and retiring Konerko on a shallow fly ball to keep it a 9-8 game.
Tony Pena came on to work the top of the ninth and Peralta greeted him by hitting a homer to left to put the Tigers ahead by two. It got worse for the White Sox as Detroit quickly loaded the bases, and Don Kelly's broken bat two- run single and Brandon Inge's RBI fielder's choice grounder gave the visitors a commanding 13-8 advantage.
Phil Coke threw a scoreless bottom half to close out the victory.
Carlos Guillen's infield single to second in the third brought in two, giving the Tigers an early lead.
Ramirez got the White Sox on the board with sacrifice fly in the home half, and Raburn's leadoff homer to right in the fourth made it a 3-1 game.
Peralta hit a two-run shot to left in the fifth to give the Tigers a four-run cushion.
The lead was short-lived, as the White Sox put up three runs in each of the next two innings to go in front.
In the bottom of the fifth, Pierre drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a groundout, then to third on a wild pitch. Konerko worked a walk, and Carlos Quentin's RBI groundout plated Pierre with Konerko taking second. Mark Teahen's run-scoring double and a bloop RBI single by Ramon Castro drew the White Sox to within a run.
In the sixth, Robbie Weinhardt entered in relief of Galarraga and served up a double to Jones to start the inning. Beckham then put down a sac bunt that allowed Jones to move to third. After Pierre grounded out, Ramirez singled to right to score Jones and tie the game, and Konerko stepped up next and cracked a first-pitch fastball into the left-center field seats to give the White Sox a 7-5 lead.
Cabrera clubbed a two-out solo shot to right in the seventh to get the Tigers a run closer.
The victory was only Detroit's fourth in 11 matchups with the White Sox this season...The Tigers went 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine, while Chicago finished 4-for-9 with RISP and left seven.