Encarnacion's two homers help White Sox top Tigers

[August 20, 2020]  Edwin Encarnacion smacked two solo home runs, and Jose Abreu went 2-for-4 with the go-ahead solo shot to help the host Chicago White Sox defeat the Detroit Tigers 5-3 on Wednesday night for their fourth consecutive victory.

Abreu and Encarnacion hit eighth-inning blasts against Tigers left-hander Gregory Soto as the Tigers lost their eighth straight game.

White Sox closer Alex Colome worked a perfect ninth for his sixth save in as many opportunities.

Starting pitchers Dane Dunning of the White Sox and Casey Mize of the Tigers both pitched into the fifth inning in their major league debuts.

Neither right-hander factored into the decision. Dunning spaced three runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings with one walk and seven strikeouts. Mize -- the No. 1 overall selection in the 2018 draft -- compiled a nearly identical line, allowing three runs on seven hits with zero walks and seven strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings.

The bullpens took it from there. Four Chicago relievers combined on 4 2/3 innings of hitless relief with one walk and four strikeouts. Evan Marshall (1-1) was the winner after striking out one in a scoreless eighth.

Detroit relievers held the White Sox in check until the eighth. Soto (0-1) allowed two runs on two hits while striking out one in his lone inning.

Encarnacion opened the scoring with a solo home run leading off the second inning.

Detroit's Jeimer Candelario doubled to right field on the first pitch of Dunning's career, but the right-hander recovered to retire 11 in a row before Jonathan Schoop and Victor Reyes strung together successive, two-out singles in the fourth. Dunning struck out Jorge Bonifacio to end the inning, however.

White Sox designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion (23) hits a home run against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

Neither pitcher issued a walk until Dunning did so with one out in the fifth. The next batter, Candelario, hit a three-run home run that narrowly eluded a leaping attempt by White Sox center fielder Adam Engel, giving Detroit a 3-1 lead.

Chicago rallied to tie the game in the bottom half behind consecutive RBI singles from Tim Anderson and Yoan Moncada. Anderson's hit scored Zack Collins, who doubled to lead off the inning, snapping an 0-for-14 skid to begin the season.

--Field Level Media

[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.