Pierzynski’s Clutch Single Extends White Sox Win Streak To Seven

Detroit, MI, United States (AHN) – A.J. Pierzynski realizes now’s not the time for the Chicago White Sox to cool down.

Pierzynski’s RBI single in the top of the 10th inning lifted the White Sox over the Detroit Tigers 5-4 Monday at Comerica Park.

Pierzynski’s single scored pinch-runner Alejandro De Aza with one out and helped the White Sox extend their winning streak to seven games. The Chicago catcher had three RBIs for the game.

The White Sox entered the contest 3.5 games behind first-place Minnesota in the American League’s Central Division.

“The only problem is we can’t seem to pick up any games over the Twins because they keep winning too,” Pierzynski said. “We have to keep fighting. We have to face Justin Verlander tomorrow. It’s going to be a tough game. We can’t afford a letdown. We have to try to win every game.”

Don Kelly’s two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning gave the Tigers a 4-3 advantage over the White Sox.

Alexei Ramirez delivered a pinch-hit RBI single in the top of the eighth off Tiger reliever Ryan Perry to tie the game 4-4.

In the bottom of the eighth, it appeared the Tigers had taken a 6-4 lead when the umpires ruled Brandon Inge had homered just inside the left field foul pole. But the umpires, after looking at the replay, reversed the call and Inge wound up striking out.

“Everyone pretty much knew it was foul,” Pierzynski said. “That’s why they have instant replay and it worked out they made the right call.”

“I had a good feeling it was foul,” Inge said. “It’s hard to come back at bat on a 3-2 count. It’s pretty tough. I was trying to keep my mind on the at-bat because I knew it would probably be overturned.”

Kelly, who also had an RBI single in the first inning, hit the first pitch from former Tiger Edwin Jackson for his sixth home run of the season with Miguel Cabrera on base in the fourth.

Detroit had taken a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Austin Jackson, Will Rhymes and Johnny Damon had consecutive singles to open the inning. Jackson scored on Damon’s single while Rhymes came home on a single by Kelly.

Chicago tied the game in the second off Tiger starter Max Scherzer on Pierzynski’s two-run single. The White Sox took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth on Juan Pierre’s RBI single.

But later in the inning, Tiger outfielder Brennan Boesch threw out Mark Kotsay at the plate to keep the White Sox lead at one run.

“It was a great game to watch,” said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. “There was a lot of action there and a lot of movement and a lot of decisions to make. Good things happened today.”

Detroit Tiger starter Max Scherzer went the first 7.1 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits. Jackson had the same line for Chicago.

Chicago reliever Chris Sale retired the side in the bottom of the 10th to preserve the victory. He took the pitching win while Jose Valverde took the loss for Detroit.

“He’s done everything right since he’s been here,” Pierzynski said of Sale, who had 2.2 scoreless innings for his first Major League victory. “So far so good.”

“He’s a very pleasant surprise,” Guillen said. “I have confidence in him the way he was throwing the ball.”

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