Sox Top Tigers, Gain in Standings

Chicago 6, Detroit 3

Mark Buehrle pitched six innings and Carlos Quentin hit a bases-loaded double Monday night as the Chicago White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 6-3 to pull within 3 games of first in the AL Central.

Buehrle (8-5) allowed 10 hits and Detroit had a runner on in each of his six innings, but the Tigers managed just two unearned runs off the left-hander.

Detroit rookie Duane Below (0-1) surrendered six hits and four runs in 4 2-3 innings.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland was ejected before the start of the sixth. There was no immediate word on why he was thrown out.

Paul Konerko hit his 23rd homer and A.J. Pierzynski his fourth for the White Sox.

Miguel Cabrera connected on his 21st homer for Detroit, a solo shot off reliever Jesse Crain in the seventh.

A gaffe by Cabrera at first base helped Chicago take the lead with a two-out, three-run rally in the fifth. Juan Pierre reached on a fielder's choice and was caught leaving early for second, but Cabrera dropped Below's throw to first. That allowed Pierre to reach second on the stolen base and he went on to score on Alexei Ramirez's two-out RBI single.

Konerko was walked intentionally and Adam Dunn walked to load the bases, ending Below's night. Quentin then greeted Chance Ruffin, promoted from the minors earlier Monday, with a two-run double to make it 4-2.

Chicago's defense came unglued in the second, leading to a pair of unearned runs for the Tigers. Magglio Ordonez singled with two outs and made it to third when White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham dropped Cabrera's popup into shallow center for an error.

Victor Martinez added an RBI single before Jhonny Peralta hit another shallow pop to left center that Chicago center fielder Alex Rios let fall in front of him, thinking shortstop Ramirez was going to catch it. Detroit's second run scored on the play.

After an infield single loaded the bases, Rios went near the fence in center to track down Ryan Raburn's long drive to end the inning.

Chicago got a run in the bottom half on Konerko's sacrifice fly that followed singles by Brent Morel and Pierre and a sacrifice.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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