DETROIT -- The last time the Tigers had won a series against the White Sox, Shane Greene saved both victories. That was in April 2019.\n\nThe last time Detroit had won back-to-back games against the White Sox, Francisco Liriano earned one of the wins. That was Labor Day week of 2018.\n\nAs the Tigers pieced together early runs against Lucas Giolito on Sunday afternoon at Comerica Park, there was the feeling of another step being taken in Detroit’s march back to competitiveness in the American League Central. Sunday’s 6-5 win not only took the rubber match of the three-game set, it completed a week during which the Tigers (38-46) took two of three against Cleveland (42-39) and Chicago (49-34), two division rivals who have tormented them in recent years.
“We have to stand up and defend ourselves against our own division,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “Obviously these are teams that have had their way with us over the course of a few seasons, but we can put pressure on any team.”
Before Sunday’s game, Hinch said he met with the team and reminded players that they had recorded back-to-back winning months, the first time Detroit had done so in five years. As much as he loves the upstart factor, he wants his team to expect to compete against teams like this, and expect to win. Games like Sunday make a difference.\n\n“We’re riding high now. It’s just how we’ve been playing lately,” said rookie outfielder
The Tigers won more games against the White Sox this weekend (two) than they did in 10 matchups last season. They did so with three starting pitchers who were in the Minor Leagues the last time Detroit beat the Sox in a series in 2019. Only
Baddoo turned an 0-2 fastball into a first-inning leadoff single, then set up a run with his speed, swiping second base for his team-high 13th stolen base of the season before coming around on back-to-back groundouts. He doubled in two more runs an inning later, declining to chase a high fastball before ripping a 2-2 changeup into the right-field corner.\n\n\"I was just looking for a good pitch to hit in that particular position,\" Baddoo said.\n\nFive of Detroit’s first six batters in the second inning reached base safely against Giolito, four of them following two-strike counts.
Until Sunday, Giolito had allowed just seven hits all season on 0-2 pitches, and just a .135 average (14-for-104) after putting hitters in an 0-2 hole. He eventually settled down with help from his slider, but the Tigers had already built a lead by then. Two-out RBI hits from Candelario and
Manning had his own struggles finishing off batters. Five of his seven hits allowed came in two-strike counts, and he didn’t strike out a batter.