Cabrera’s 10th inning homer lifts Tigers over White Sox

Cabrera’s homer lifts Tigers over White Sox

CHICAGO — Miguel Cabrera broke out of a slump with a solo homer in the 10th inning to lift the Detroit Tigers over the Chicago White Sox 7-6 on Tuesday night.

Cabrera, who had been hitless in his last 12 at-bats, led off the 10th with a shot to left-center off White Sox reliever Scott Linebrink (2-4). It was Cabrera’s 11th homer of the season.

Trailing 6-3 in the ninth, Tigers closer Fernando Rodney walked the first three batters he faced. Tigers reliever Brandon Lyon came in and struck out Jermaine Dye then he walked Jim Thome to force in a run. Paul Konerko followed with a double down the line in left that tied the game. Pinch-runner DeWayne Wise, the potential winning-run was thrown out at the plate on a relay throw by shortstop Adam Everett. After an intentional walk to A.J. Pierzynski, Lyon (2-3) struck out Gordon Beckham to end the inning.

Brandon Inge homered for the Tigers for its fourth win in five games.

Lyon pitched a perfect 10th to secure the win for the Tigers.

After splitting a doubleheader to start a five-game series on Monday, White Sox starter Mark Buehrle got into trouble in the seventh. He walked the first two Tigers hitters in the inning, then Gerald Laird moved the runners over on a sacrifice bunt. White Sox reliever Octavio Dotel came in and got Everett swinging for the second out of the inning, but he walked Curtis Granderson to load the bases and Placido Polanco followed by emptying the bases with a double over the head of center fielder Brian Anderson to give the Tigers a 6-3 lead.

Anderson hit a two-run homer for the White Sox who are 3-7 on its current season-long 12-game homestand.

The White Sox and the Tigers had a bench clearing incident in the bottom of the fourth inning. A.J. Pierzynski bailed out of the batter’s box when he took a high and tight pitch from Tigers starter Dontrelle Willis. Later in the at-bat, Pierzynski grounded out, when jogging to the dugout he had a few words for Willis. Willis shouted back and Laird intervened and yelled at Pierzynski then both dugouts and bullpens emptied. The incident resulted in no physical activity or ejections.

Buehrle allowed five runs and four hits and set a season-high with four walks.

Willis scattered five hits and five walks, giving up only three runs.