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 Gose, Detroit's center fielder, went 2-for-5, tripled and scored two
runs. Left fielder Collins hit a three-run triple, and Norris (3-2)
threw five scoreless innings to earn his first win since Aug. 2,
snapping a string of five consecutive no-decisions.
Detroit's bullpen also was sharp, with four relievers combining to
throw four scoreless innings and allow just two hits.
"It's always good to end on a high note and win," Tigers manager
Brad Ausmus said. "Despite the fact the record isn't where we want
it, it doesn't mean they didn't work their tails off and try to win
on a daily basis. Just the grind and toll of a baseball season,
mentally and physically, can be exhausting. (These guys) continue to
be professional, play hard, and now I think they're all ready for a
rest."
After winning the first two games of the series, the White Sox
(76-86) go into the offseason on a defeat. They lost eight of their
final 12 games and dropped the season series against the Tigers
(74-87), who won 10 of the teams' 19 meetings this year.
"Very disappointing, absolutely," White Sox manager Robin Ventura
said, summing up his team's season as a whole. "But now it's time,
you go back to work and try to figure out what you're going to be
doing in the future, as far as guys making it to spring training.
(You) start doing that."
Rookie right-hander Frankie Montas (0-2) started and took the loss
for Chicago, which managed only three hits.
On the bright side, the loss for the White Sox combined with a win
by the Seattle Mariners bumped Chicago up from the 11th overall pick
to the 10th spot in next summer's draft.
Norris finished his season strong. The key piece in Detroit's trade
that sent former left-hander David Price to the Toronto Blue Jays,
the left-hander struck out three, walked one and allowed only one
hit.
The hit was a one-out triple by White Sox rookie outfielder Trayce
Thompson in the fourth, but Norris stranded him by inducing a
double-play grounder out of Alexei Ramirez to end the inning.
Norris only needed 71 pitches to get through his outing, throwing 42
for strikes, before Tigers manager Brad Ausmus went to the bullpen.
"It turned out, actually, that the (fingernail) on the pointer
finger of his throwing hand ... he says when it gets cold, it starts
to split, and it was bleeding a little," Ausmus said. "So, he
probably would've had to come out anyway. But I just figured he had
a good outing, so let's send him into the offseason feeling good
about things."
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Montas went just four innings and recovered nicely after a rough
first inning. Detroit took a 1-0 lead in the first off the
hard-throwing rookie, who gave up two hits and two walks in the
frame.
A double by third baseman Nick Castellanos scored Gose from second
and advanced Collins to third, before Montas walked right fielder
Steven Moya to load the bases. He got out of the jam by striking out
first baseman Jefry Marte.
After that, Montas settled into a groove. He retired nine of 10
hitters in his final three innings, allowed only one more runner on
a walk and pushed his strikeout total to seven, including all three
he faced in the third.
"In the first inning I wasn't executing my pitches," Montas said,
via White Sox interpreter Billy Russo. "Once I calmed down and
figured out the situation, I felt much better. After the first
inning I was better. I was pitching at my pace and I was feeling
good."
The Tigers increased their lead to 2-0 in the fifth, when Gose
tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by designated hitter J.D.
Martinez. Detroit padded the margin in the seventh, when Collins hit
a bases-loaded triple off reliever Daniel Webb.
NOTES: White Sox CF Adam Eaton will undergo a surgical procedure on
his right (throwing) shoulder Monday, but is expected to make a full
recovery in time to be ready for spring training in 2016. ... Tigers
1B Miguel Cabrera didn't play and will win his fourth American
League batting title in the past five seasons with a .338 batting
average. ... Detroit manager Brad Ausmus was asked to pick an MVP of
his team this season, and chose RF J.D. Martinez. "He drove in 100
runs, almost 40 home runs, he plays every day (and) he plays solid
defense in the outfield," Ausmus said. "You certainly could make the
argument for (Cabrera), hitting .338, but he missed a chunk of the
year."
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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