Apr 17, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias (1) hits a game wining RBI single in the ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park. Detroit won 2-1. Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
DETROIT — Jose Iglesias bounced a single past drawn-in second baseman Emilio Bonifacio to score pinch runner Andrew Romine from third with one out in the ninth inning Friday to give the Detroit Tigers a 2-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
Interim closer right-hander Joakim Soria (1-0) pitched a perfect ninth for Detroit to gain the win while left-hander Zach Duke (1-1) took the loss.
Third baseman Nick Castellanos led off the ninth with a sinking liner to right that Avisail Garcia almost caught, the ball skipping out of his glove as it hit the turf. Garcia recovered in time to make a throw to second but Castellanos squeezed by the tag attempt and was safe for a double.
Catcher Alex Avila laid down a sacrifice bunt to third and shortstop Iglesias bounced an 0-2 pitch between Bonifacio and the bag to score the winning run.
The teams traded solo home runs for their first scores.
One-time Tiger Garcia smacked left-handed starter David Price’s first pitch of the second inning deep into the right field seats for his first home run this year, putting the White Sox up 1-0.
Detroit designated hitter Yoenis Cespedes made his first home run with the Tigers a blast off Chicago right-hander Jeff Samardzija halfway up the stands in left to tie the score 1-1 with one out in the fourth.
Other than Garcia’s home run, Chicago didn’t have a runner reach second during Price’s eight innings. Price gave up four hits, striking out nine and walking two.
Samardzija gave up eight hits in eight innings but didn’t walk anybody and the Tigers stranded baserunners at third four times in the first innings — with less than two out in the first and third and with two out in the fifth and seventh. Samardzija had seven strikeouts.
NOTES: DH Victor Martinez was kept out of Friday’s starting Detroit lineup to give his left knee, tweaked in a Tuesday pinch-hitting appearance in Pittsburgh, an extra day of rest. “He’ll be back in the lineup (Saturday),” manager Brad Ausmus said. … White Sox RHP Jake Petricka, out since the end of spring training with a right forearm strain, pitched a 1-2-3 inning Thursday to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte. … Tigers LHP Kyle Lobstein will start Tuesday in place of disabled RHP Justin Verlander, Ausmus confirmed. … LHP Jose Quintana will start Sunday for the White Sox as two days off give manager Robin Ventura the opportunity to skip a starter, in this case RHP Hector Neosi.
