Porcello stymies White Sox
Tigers snap skid with 9-1 win
9/11/2013
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Rick Porcello fires a pitch in a game earlier this month. Porcello pitched his first career complete game against the White Socks Tuesday night.
CHICAGO — Rick Porcello pitched his first career complete game, Prince Fielder homered among his four hits, and the Detroit Tigers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 9-1 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.
Alex Avila added four hits and two RBIs as AL Central-leading Detroit's offense finally got rolling against the sloppy White Sox, allowing the Tigers to increase their lead over Cleveland to 5 1/2 games.
Porcello (12-8) scattered seven hits, struck out five and walked one. The 24-year-old right-hander retired 14 straight after Chicago scored its only run in the fourth.
No promises made to shortstop Peralta
The Detroit Tigers are giving Jhonny Peralta a chance to earn a spot on their roster.
That’s about all general manager Dave Dombrowski would promise when he discussed the suspended infielder’s future Tuesday. Peralta, who accepted a 50-game suspension from Major League Baseball on Aug. 5, will work out with the Tigers before Wednesday’s game in Chicago against the White Sox.
“From our perspective, there really is an obligation with giving him a chance to come back,” Dombrowski said. “We’ll make a baseball decision at some point, as we get closer, whether to activate him.”
Peralta was suspended as part of baseball’s investigation into Biogenesis of America, a Florida anti-aging clinic accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs.
Dombrowski said even if Peralta returns, he would not be the team’s everyday shortstop. Shortly before his suspension, the Tigers traded for a replacement, acquiring slick-fielding infielder Jose Iglesias from Boston.
Dombrowski said Peralta will do some hitting Wednesday and also take groundballs and flyballs. Peralta, a free agent after this season, is eligible to return on Sept. 27.
BALENTIEN/JAPAN: Former major leaguer Wladimir Balentien has hit his 54th home run of the season to move within one of tying Japanese baseball’s record.
Balentien has 22 regular-season games left to reach the mark of 55 set by Sadaharu Oh in 1964 and matched by Tuffy Rhodes in 2001 and Alex Cabrera in 2002.