Jack Flaherty had a solid debut with the Detroit Tigers, pitching well for six innings. Andy Ibáñez came off the bench and hit a single in the ninth inning, breaking the tie and helping the Tigers win 3-2 against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.
Kerry Carpenter and Jake Rogers hit home runs for the Tigers, who are now 3-0 for the first time since 2016. All of their wins in the opening series against the White Sox were close games, with just one run deciding each outcome.
“The team’s energy and excitement are clearly showing in our performance,” Ibáñez said. Paul DeJong and Korey Lee hit home runs for the White Sox. Tyler Holton got the win, striking out four batters in 1 1/3 innings. Jason Foley secured his second save by getting Andrew Vaughn and Braden Shewmake to ground out.
In a crucial moment, Detroit manager A.J. Hinch sent Ibáñez to bat for Parker Meadows with runners on first and second and two outs. Ibáñez delivered with a single against left-hander Tim Hill, bringing in pinch-runner Matt Vierling for a 3-2 lead.
Hinch praised the team’s readiness for such situations, especially in the last inning. Steven Wilson took the loss for the White Sox after allowing a hit and a walk while recording two outs. The White Sox are now 0-3 for the first time since 2015.
Flaherty gave up one run and four hits while striking out seven batters. He signed a one-year contract worth $14 million with the Tigers in free agency.
Lee hit a home run on Flaherty’s first pitch in the third inning. DeJong tied the game at 2 with his home run off Andrew Chafin in the seventh. Carpenter homered in the fourth inning, while Rogers added another solo shot in the fifth.
In the sixth inning, Mark Canha was thrown out at home after colliding with catcher Lee. They exchanged words briefly before both teams returned to their dugouts. Canha had attempted to score on a throw that went into right field after a grounder to shortstop DeJong resulted in an error.
