MLB
  Scores
  Schedules
  Standings
  Statistics
  Transactions
  Injuries: AL | NL
  Players
  Weekly Lineup
  Message Board
  Minor Leagues
  MLB Stat Search

Clubhouses

Sport Sections
  Monday, Sep. 18 7:05pm ET
Chicago's magic number stays at 8
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

DETROIT (AP) -- Jeff Weaver hasn't had any leads to work with lately. When he got one Monday night, he immediately gave it up.

Jeff Weaver
Jeff Weaver retired the first 13 hitters he faced in beating the White Sox.
Then Juan Gonzalez's infield single in the seventh inning put Detroit ahead again and Weaver held it. He wound up allowing just three hits in eight innings as the Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox 5-2.

"He looked determined to finish that ballgame out," Detroit manager Phil Garner said.

Weaver (10-14), who was 0-3 since beating Baltimore on Aug. 29, led Detroit to just its third win in 10 games this year against the White Sox. Todd Jones pitched a perfect ninth for his AL-leading 40th save in 43 chances.

"It's a W. That's the important thing," said Weaver, who struck out six and walked one. "It would be nice to keep battling them."

Weaver retired his first 13 batters before Carlos Lee walked on 16 pitches in the fifth, fouling off 10. Paul Konerko homered on the next pitch to give Chicago a 2-1 lead.

"That was a great at-bat by Lee, and it might've taken a little out of (Weaver)," Garner said. "You're so hyped up when the at-bat's over, maybe you lose focus a little bit."

Weaver disagreed.

"Konerko hit a cutter that stayed over the plate," he said. "I didn't think I let down at all. If I'd have done that, I think they would've continued to pour it on."

The only other hits off Weaver were Frank Thomas' sixth-inning double and Herbert Perry's leadoff single in the eighth.

With two on in the seventh, Gonzalez hit a liner off reliever Lorenzo Barcelo (3-2) that caromed into the hole between first and second. Second baseman Ray Durham tried to throw out Juan Encarnacion at home, but catcher Charles Johnson couldn't handle the throw -- he was charged with an error -- and both Encarnacion and Bobby Higginson scored.

Damion Easley added a two-run triple off Bobby Howry in the eighth.

Chicago's magic number for clinching the AL Central remained at eight and its lead over second-place Cleveland was cut to 6 1/2 games. The White Sox have scored only three runs in losing their last two games.

Manager Jerry Manuel rested several of his regulars in Sunday's 14-1 loss to Toronto, but they were back in the lineup Monday.

"You can't win ballgames in late September or early October if you're not executing situational hitting, whether it's moving runners or bunting guys over," outfielder Chris Singleton said. "The run production is not as easy as it might be in the middle of summer, so you can't miss those."

The Tigers have scored two or fewer runs in 14 of Weaver's 28 starts, including 12 of his 15 losses. They were blanked in his previous two starts, including a 1-0 loss to Jim Parque last week at Comiskey Park.

Parque gave up seven hits and left with a 2-1 lead after six innings.

"Jim pitched real well for us. Weaver did a solid job for them," Singleton said. "We knew coming in it was going to be a tight game. Two young quality pitchers out there."

Weaver got a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Wendell Magee hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to the warning track in front of the 420 mark in straightaway center.

But that was gone when Konerko homered after Lee's long duel with Weaver.

"You've got to tip your hat to Carlos," Tigers catcher Brad Ausmus said. "He fouled off some really tough pitches."

Lee was down 1-2 in the count before he fouled off 10 of 12 pitches. He walked on an outside pitch.

"I was just trying not to give in," he said. "The prior at-bat he threw a pitch away and he got the call (for a strikeout). I knew if I got the pitch again he might get the call again, so I was aware of everything. I didn't let it go through. No way was it going to be a strike."

Game notes
White Sox hitting coach Von Joshua was ejected by plate umpire John Hirschbeck for arguing balls and strikes. Garner also had a brief argument with Hirschbeck... Detroit's Deivi Cruz grounded into his 25th double play, third-most in the AL, during the sixth. Only Oakland's Ben Grieve (28) and Chicago's Magglio Ordonez (26) entered Monday with more. ... The Tigers have won three straight after losing nine of 10.
 


ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard

Chi. White Sox Clubhouse

Detroit Clubhouse


RECAPS
Oakland 12
Baltimore 3

Detroit 5
Chi. White Sox 2

Cleveland 2
NY Yankees 0

Seattle 4
Tampa Bay 3

Minnesota 3
Texas 1

Montreal 11
Florida 4

Pittsburgh 6
Philadelphia 5

Atlanta 6
NY Mets 3

Milwaukee 2
Chicago Cubs 1

Los Angeles 2
Arizona 1

Cincinnati 7
San Francisco 1