CHICAGO — Victor Martinez had three hits and pitcher Kyle Lobstein allowed only five hits over 7 2/3 innings on Thursday as the Detroit Tigers avoided being swept by the Chicago White Sox with a 4-1 victory at U.S. Cellular Field.
Martinez’s third hit — an eighth-inning single — provided the Tigers (18-11) with a two-run lead. Detroit blew a three-run, eighth-inning lead in a 7-6 loss on Wednesday, giving the White Sox their second straight in the series.
Chicago (10-15) was looking for its first series sweep over Detroit since 2008 and its first sweep of its AL Central rivals at home since 2006.
The Tigers struck early when Cabrera scored on a wild pitch by Jose Quintana after being hit by a pitch with two outs in the first inning.
The White Sox didn’t pick up their first hit until the fourth inning, when right fielder Avisail Garcia’s single scored left fielder Melky Cabrera, who had reached on an error to lead off the inning.
The White Sox could have registered even more damage after they loaded the bases with nobody out. But Lobstein avoided trouble, getting shortstop Alexei Ramirez to ground into a double play — Castellanos fielded the ground ball, touched the bag at third for the force and threw home to get Abreu.
The Tigers took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth when center fielder Rajai Davis scored on Cabrera’s groundout, which third baseman Gordon Beckham failed to field cleanly.
Tigers third baseman Nick Castellanos pushed Detroit’s lead to three runs in the eighth inning, scoring first baseman Miguel Cabrera, who had been intentionally walked after second baseman Ian Kinsler led off the inning with a double and scored on Martinez’s single.
Lobstein (3-2) kept the Chicago offense in check throughout the day. Lobstein, who gave the Tigers their first quality outing by a starter in the series, was never in trouble after giving up the unearned run in the fourth. He walked two and struck out three.
Jose Quintana (1-3) took the loss for the White Sox, giving up the two runs on four hits and two walks in five innings while striking out six.
Lobstein, who yielded a pair of hits in eighth inning, avoided any trouble by getting center fielder Adam Eaton to ground into a double play before being relieved by reliever Joakim Soria with two outs. Soria struck out Abreu to end the inning before striking out the side in the ninth inning.
NOTES: White Sox LHP Chris Sale dropped his appeal of his five-game suspension Thursday stemming from his involvement the bench-clearing brawl against Kansas City involving Royals RHP Yordano Ventura and White Sox CF Adam Eaton. Sale, who picked up a no-decision Wednesday against the Tigers, will be eligible to rejoin the White Sox on Tuesday in Milwaukee and will pitch on five day’s rest against the Brewers. … The White Sox have committed seven errors in their last three games and were tied for 26th in the majors with a .977 fielding percentage (20 errors) entering Thursday’s game. … Tigers SS Jose Iglesias (left groin strain) did not play after aggravating the injury he sustained Sunday. Iglesias played on Wednesday but experienced groin tightness overnight after scoring from second base in a 7-6 loss to the White Sox. Manager Brad Ausmus said the injury could keep Iglesias out a couple of days. Hernan Perez started in Iglesias’ place.