DETROIT -- The boos echoed around Comerica Park when Jahmai Jones pinch-hit for Kerry Carpenter against a lefty with the bases loaded in the fourth inning Saturday afternoon. Two innings later, the defensive replacement in the swap flipped those boos to cheers with a lefty-lefty hit.
James Outman’s go-ahead RBI single sparked a two-run sixth inning before Dillon Dingler homered for an add-on tally, lifting the Tigers to their second straight win over the White Sox with a 4-1 victory.
The Tigers’ win over the AL Central co-leaders brought them within 7 1/2 games of the White Sox in the division.
The last time the Tigers overcame a big deficit to rally for a playoff spot, they rode manager A.J. Hinch’s aggressive pinch-hitting and bullpen usage to a Wild Card spot while earning the Gritty Tigs nickname. The endless pursuit of platoon advantage was a success story thanks to pinch-hit specialists who could crush lefties, from Andy Ibáñez in 2024 to Jones last year. It has been less successful this year as Jones has struggled.
Hinch stuck with Carpenter in the starting lineup against lefty opener Sean Newcomb, who got a second-inning groundout from Carpenter on his way to three perfect innings. After right-hander Tyler Davis walked the bases loaded in the fourth, however, White Sox manager Will Venable turned to another lefty, Joe Rock.
Up came Jones, who was booed upon introduction and again when he swung and missed at a Rock slider to end the threat. It was about as loud as the boos had gotten for anything during the Tigers’ rough start this season.
While Outman replaced Jones in the outfield, Rock continued through the order. Dingler drove home the tying run on a two-out single in the fifth inning for his MLB-leading 32nd two-out RBI of the season. Spencer Torkelson’s one-out double in the sixth brought up Outman, who entered the day just 8-for-67 with 32 strikeouts against lefties since 2024.
But Outman defied the splits and his name, getting a first-pitch slider over the plate and sending it through the right side to plate Torkelson. Braden Montgomery’s throwing error and Hao-Yu Lee’s fly ball moved Outman into position for Jake Rogers to single him home.
Dingler’s 17th home run of the season was a 430-foot drive to the deepest part of left-center off Trevor Richards.