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Jones lifts Tigers to victory in MLB debut

[August 31, 2016] DETROIT -- JaCoby Jones gave the Detroit Tigers the jolt they were looking for on offense.

Manager Brad Ausmus expressed hope prior to Jones' major league debut on Tuesday that the 24-year-old could "inject a little bit of life" into a lineup that scored a total of eight runs the previous four games. Jones did that in his third and fourth career at-bats.

He had two hits and knocked in two runs and Ian Kinsler drove in four runs, powering the Tigers to an 8-4 victory over Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park.

Jones, whose contract was purchased from Triple-A Toledo earlier in the day, drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning double and added an RBI single the following inning.

His family flew in from Mississippi and Jones pointed to them from second base after his first hit.

"Relief, just getting it out of the way," Jones said. "It's something I'll never forget, my first big-league hit. It's just something you work hard for, to get here, and to do it on the first night I played, is simply amazing."

Ausmus, who had a long major league career as a catcher, appreciated the moment.

"It's very exciting for him," he said. "I remember my first hit. Every major league player remembers their first hit. So this is something he'll never forget. It's nice his family could see it. The fans welcomed him, even when they announced him before his first at-bat."

The Tigers remained 4 1/2 games back of American League Central Division leader Cleveland, which edged Minnesota 5-4 on Tuesday.

Kinsler supplied a two-run homer and two-run single, while J.D. Martinez had three extra-base hits, including a solo homer. Bruce Rondon (5-2) got the win with an inning of scoreless relief.

Todd Frazier hit his 33rd homer for the White Sox. Matt Albers (2-6) was charged with the loss after giving up three runs in one-third of an inning.

Neither starter factored in the decision. The Tigers' Daniel Norris and White Sox's Anthony Ranaudo each allowed three runs in five innings.

Ranaudo is winless in his four starts with Chicago since he was acquired from Texas.

"Anthony had a good run going there," manager Robin Ventura said. "He was pitching great. You go through that lineup a few times, it becomes increasingly tougher every time through it. They got to him the third time through."

Trailing 3-2, Detroit batted around in the bottom of the sixth to take a three-run lead. Martinez led off with his second double. Albers relieved Ranaudo and promptly gave up Justin Upton's tying single.

Following a walk, Jones smacked an opposite-field double to put the Tigers on top. Albers finally got an out before Kinsler ripped a single off Jacob Turner over third baseman Todd Frazier's glove to bring in Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jones.

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Tigers third baseman JaCoby Jones (40) signs autographs prior to the game against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

"I tried to go to the bullpen and get some ground balls," Ventura said. "The one Kinsler hit ends up off the tip of Frazier's glove. They have a way of opening it up once they get some guys on. When they get them in scoring position, they're tough to hold down."

Melky Cabrera's RBI groundout in the seventh cut Detroit's lead to 6-4.

The Tigers answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Martinez led off with his 19th home run. Three batters later, Jones bounced a run-scoring single past a drawn-in infield, bringing home Upton from third.

Frazier's two-run homer highlighted a three-run second. Following Justin Morneau's leadoff single, Frazier ripped a 2-2 pitch into the left-field seats. The White Sox tacked on another run with Adam Eaton's RBI groundout.

The Tigers were held to one hit until Kinsler's two-out, two-run shot in the fifth.

NOTES: Detroit 3B Casey McGehee was demoted to Triple-A Toledo to make room for rookie JaCoby Jones. McGehee was batting .232 with one RBI in 22 games while replacing injured 3B Nick Castellanos. "We just felt we needed a little bit of offense and we're hoping to get it from Jones," manager Brad Ausmus said. ... The Tigers also recalled LHP Blaine Hardy from the Mud Hens and optioned LHP Matt Boyd -- Monday's starter -- to Toledo. ... The series finale Wednesday afternoon features a matchup of aces -- Chicago LHP Chris Sale and Detroit RHP Justin Verlander. "You better get your runs early when you're facing him because he gets better as he goes along," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said of Verlander. ... The White Sox have lost nine of their last 10 games at Comerica Park. ... The White Sox rank 13th in the American League in scoring. "We haven't held up our end of the bargain on that point," Ventura said.

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