RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 2 sourcesDETROIT — Munetaka Murakami hit a tie-breaking two-run home run in the seventh inning on Sunday and the Chicago White Sox completed a three-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers with a 7-5 victory in front of 34,251 at Comerica Park.
Miguel Vargas added an insurance run with a solo home run in the ninth.
“Just winning the series as a team, as a whole, it means a lot,” Murakami said through an interpreter. “It’s big. I’m just really glad to pull that one off.”
The Sox entered the series with a 2 1/2 game lead over the Tigers in the American League Central. As of Sunday afternoon, they left Detroit leading the division by 5 1/2 games over the Tigers.
“I think for everybody to show up like that was huge for us,” starter Sean Burke said.
Here are three series takeaways:
1. An early three-run deficit on Sunday was no problem.
Brett Callahan knocked in two runs with a triple on the first major-league pitch he saw in the second inning. He then scored on a single by Max Clark as the Tigers took a 3-0 lead.
The Sox scored once in the top of the third, but the Tigers answered with a home run by Colt Keith in the bottom of the third. The ball deflected off Sam Antonacci’s glove and landed over the wall as the left fielder crashed into the fence.
The Sox were down 4-1, but not out.
Drew Romo hit a two-run home run in the fifth, getting the Sox within 4-3.
Randal Grichuk led off the sixth with a pinch-hit double against reliever Tyler Holton. Grichuk advanced to third on a flyout. Colson Montgomery drove him in with a single to center, tying the score at 4.
Antonacci began the seventh with a walk. Murakami then homered to left-center on a 1-1 sinker from Holton, giving the Sox a 6-4 lead.
“That was a big one,” Sox manager Will Venable said. “And obviously a really good job by Sammy there to get on base. And to do that against Holton, who’s a really tough lefty, both by Sammy and then obviously Mune coming through was huge.”
It was Murakami’s 28th home run of the season. Asked if that was one of his biggest home runs since signing with the Sox, Murakami said, “all the home runs, I’m really happy to hit them. It’s just one of them.”
The Tigers got within 6-5 with a run in the seventh, but Vargas gave the Sox some breathing room with a solo home run in the ninth — his 28th of the year.
Sean Newcomb pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings for the save.
2. Reliever Hagen Smith demonstrated toughness.
Reliever Hagen Smith picked up Sunday’s win the hard way.
Pinch hitter Ben Malgeri smoked a line drive with a 106.5 mph exit velocity in the sixth inning. Smith caught the ball, or rather the ball caught him.
“It was just kind of one of those things where I just happened to catch it, it hit my body and my arm was just there,” Smith said. “So it just kind of stuck there. But it was good.”
Smith remained in the game. He struck out one and walked one in 1 2/3 hitless innings, improving to 2-0.
“Just a really good job getting outs there,” Venable said. “I thought he had really good stuff, found different ways to get guys out. Was really sharp.”
Smith followed Burke, who allowed four runs on five hits with two strikeouts and three walks in 4 1/3 innings.
“I think he had heavy legs there,” Venable said of Burke. “It’s hot out here, didn’t have his best stuff, not a lot of swing and miss there. But he just kept battling. I think that’s a sign of a really good pitcher, to find a way even when you don’t have his best stuff, and he kept us in the game.”
Newcomb, who was the opener to begin the series on Friday, closed out the sweep with the strong extended relief outing.
“(Newcomb is) a dog out there,” Venable said. “He wants those moments, to get three ups from him in that situation where we really didn’t have anybody else behind him with (Bryan Hudson) and Grant (Taylor), and a couple guys down. We needed (Newcomb) there and he obviously came through in a big way.”
3. The Sox now turn the page to the City Series.
The Sox showed grit throughout the weekend, capped by Sunday’s comeback victory.
“I’m just so proud of the group,” Venable said. “(Burke) first of all, without his best stuff, really grinding there. The rest of the guys behind him came in and did a great job. And then offensively, these guys are tired and beat up and they just kept playing.
“Just really proud of the group.”
The Sox are 4-2 in their stretch of 16 games in 16 days, which continues Monday with the City Series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
“I think we know what the crowd is going to be like,” Venable said. “It’s going to be exciting. It’s going to be a great atmosphere. Obviously, we have a big challenge ahead of us with these guys. We know how well they’re playing, we know how good they are.
“But it will be an exciting series.”
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