Wilbur Wood and Stan Bahnsen combined to start five of the six games and went 4-1 in the White Sox's mild upset of the Tigers. Buddy Bradford homered three times as the Sox outhomered Detroit 11-7 for the series and tormented the Tigers' middle relief corps.
Game One: Tigers 11, White Sox 9: The Tigers plated eight runs in the third to take control of the game and knock Wood out early. Chicago put up two crooked numbers against Justin Verlander, but the Tigers were able to turn a two-run lead over to closer Fernando Rodney.
Game Two: White Sox 13, Tigers 6: It was a pitchers' duel for six innings -- 2-1 White Sox at that point -- and a sluggers' delight in the final three frames. Bradford homered twice for Chicago, and Jorge Orta and Bill Melton each blasted three-run shots. Magglio Ordonez capped a five-run rally in the ninth against Goose Gossage with a three-run homer.
Game Three: Tigers 10, White Sox 4: Chicago starter Jim Kaat got only one out, and Eddie Fisher couldn't put up zeros in a lenghty relief outing. Marcus Thames hit a pair of homers for Detroit, and Ordonez also homered. Rick Porcello allowed three earned runs in seven innings for the win.
Game Four: White Sox 3, Tigers 0: Wood bounced back from his first-game disaster for a six-hit shutout, retiring the final 11 hitters. Chicago scored three runs in the first inning, with Bradford bringing in two runs with a double.
Game Five: White Sox 7, Tigers 3: Verlander carried a 2-0 lead into the seventh but was pulled after allowing a leadoff double to Eddie Leon in the eighth. Zach Miner allowed that inherited runner to score to even the score and then saw the roof cave in in the ninth. Carlos May capped a five-run outburst with a double off lefty specialist Bobby Seay.
Game Six: White Sox 6, Tigers 3: Wood started on two days rest and gave up three runs in the first, all scoring on a homer by Ryan Raburn. The lefty knuckleballer then threw seven scoreless innings and his teammates chipped away at Edwin Jackson. Orta evened the score in the seventh with a leadoff homer and Bradford put the Sox ahead for good with a leadoff homer in the eighth. Melton hit a two run tater later in the inning. Cy Acosta relieved for a three up-three down ninth to end the series.
Projected rotation: Bahnsen-Wood-Kaat-Bahnsen-(Wood)-(Kaat with penalty?)-(Bahnsen). The White Sox bullpen will be fully rested for the start of the second round.
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