Granderson, Thames lead Tigers past White Sox

[July 28, 2008]  DETROIT (AP) -- Curtis Granderson and Marcus Thames homered and the Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox 6-4 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.

Miguel Cabrera drove in two runs and Ivan Rodriguez went 4-for-4 for third-place Detroit, which pulled within 6 1/2 games of the AL Central-leading White Sox. Minnesota beat Cleveland 4-2 to trim Chicago's lead to 2 1/2 games.

Jermaine Dye homered for the third straight day and A.J. Pierzynski also went deep for the White Sox, who had won four straight.

Zach Miner (5-3) allowed two runs and five hits in six innings to earn his first win against Chicago after losing five decisions.

Joel Zumaya replaced Miner and pitched 1 1-3 innings, allowing a run and a walk, before leaving with tightness in his right triceps. Zumaya, who was listed as day to day, returned last month after offseason shoulder surgery.

Fernando Rodney recorded the final five outs for the Tigers, and was charged with one run and one hit. Manager Jim Leyland said during Detroit's pregame show Sunday that Rodney would replace Todd Jones as the team's closer.

Javier Vazquez (7-9) surrendered six runs and 11 hits in seven innings for Chicago.

Detroit scored three runs in the third to take a 4-1 lead. Granderson led off with his 11th homer, and Cabrera added a two-run single.

Dye connected in the fourth for his 24th homer of the season, cutting it to 4-2.

Thames led off the sixth with his 20th of the year and Edgar Renteria doubled in Rodriguez to give Detroit a 6-2 lead.

Jim Thome also had a two-run single for the White Sox.

[Associated Press]

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