DETROIT (AP) — Andrew Benintendi had two hits, including the go-ahead single in the seventh inning, and the Chicago White Sox defeated the Detroit Tigers on Saturday for the second straight day, 4-3.
Chicago (64-58) has won five of seven and now leads the AL Central by a season-best 4 1/2 games over the Tigers (60-63) and Minnesota Twins.
Jordan Hicks (2-1) picked up the win for Chicago with 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, and Bryan Hudson pitched
the ninth for his fifth save of the season.
The teams traded runs in the first, with Braden Montgomery's RBI single for the White Sox in the top of the inning being answered by one from Eduardo Valencia in the bottom of the frame.
Chicago wasted chances to add on — formers Tigers player Jake Rogers bunted into a double play and first baseman Spencer Torkelson threw out Munetaka Murakami at the plate on a ground ball — but Colson Montgomery's two-out, two-run double gave the White Sox a 3-1 lead in the third.
Valencia led off the fourth inning with his sixth home run in 50 career at-bats, pulling the Tigers within a run.
Chicago got a runner to third with one out in the fifth, but Drew Sommers replaced starter Troy Melton and struck out Braden Montgomery and Colson Montgomery to end the inning.
Detroit scored the tying run in the bottom of the inning on back-to-back doubles by Corey Julks and Gleyber Torres before Chicago went ahead in the seventh on Benintendi's RBI single off Sommers (0-3).
The teams finish the three-game series on Sunday with Tigers RHP Drew Anderson (4-4, 3.91 ERA) facing White Sox RHP Sean Burke (7-6, 2.99).
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