DETROIT — A successful bunt, a double steal, a timely hit and a sacrifice fly.
After Liam Hendriks pitched out of a jam in the 10th, stranding the winning run at third with a short fly ball and strikeout, the White Sox used that combination to pushed across two runs in the 11th inning for a much needed 4-3 win against the Tigers Saturday.
With the Guardians headed toward a doubleheader sweep, the Sox still lost ground to the AL Central leaders, falling to five games behind.
Yoan Moncada singled in the go-ahead run against lefty Gregory Soto after Soto misplayed Elvis Andrus’ sacrifice bunt into a single, and Andrus scored on Eloy Jimenez’ sacrifice fly after stealing third ahead of Moncada on a double steal.
Aaron Bummer (second save) pitched the 11th, allowing the free runner to score but no one else to give the Sox a win one night after Hendriks (4-4) took the loss in the 10th.
Rookie right-hander Davis Martin, called up from Triple-A Charlotte to replace Michael Kopech who landed on the injured list, pitched six innings of one-run ball, giving the Sox a chance.
After getting blanked by lefty Eduardo Rodriguez for six innings, the Sox took a 2-1 lead in the seventh on a two-run single from AJ Pollock against righty reliever Jason Foley.
The Tigers caught a break and tied it in the eighth when Akil Baddoo scored from second on Riley Greene’s infield single, thanks to shortstop Elvis Andrus’ throw to the plate that should have had Baddoo easily but was off the mark.
Andrus made a diving stop of Greene’s two-out bouncer headed to left field, and Baddoo, who was on second, kept going around third apparently unaware that Andrus made the stop. Andrus hesitated, then threw wide from the outfield grass, and it was 2-2.
Martin allowed three hits and one walk while striking out five Tigers. He threw 85 pitches, 57 strikes.
“A tough year”
There’s no getting the Sox’ shaky defense and lagging offense for most of the season, but there’s also no denying how much the abundance of injuries saddled a team that can’t distance itself much from the .500 mark.
“It’s been a tough year,” coach Jerry Narron said. “Anytime you go through different lineups we’ve had every day out of necessity … Just coming to the ballpark hoping this player is going to be able to play tonight [became the norm].”
Robert returns
Luis Robert returned to center field, batting eighth as manager Miguel Cairo wasn’t fully confident in what Robert could give offensively because of his sore wrist.
“He can cover a lot of ground in the outfield,” Cairo said. “Trying to put the best lineup in there today.
“I know he can play through it. I just have to be careful. I don’t want him to get hurt or nothing like that. Those [last] two days, he said he was better today so I’m going with him.”
