Max Scherzer pitched six strong innings and struck out seven while Prince Fielder broke out of a long slump with a big homer as the Tigers last night held on to beat the Central Division leading White Sox 8-to-6. Detroit’s back-to-back wins at Chicago left the Tigers just a game out of first place with the finale of the 4-game series with the White Sox set for tonight. Scherzer improved to 16-and-6 with his sixth straight win. Fielder lifted a three-run homer in the seventh inning to end his 0-for-18 slump and that made the score 6-to-1. Detroit went up 8-to-1 in the eighth inning before the White Sox chipped away with four in the bottom of the frame. They added another run in the ninth off closer Jose Valverde before he locked up the victory with his 30^th save.

The Tigers banged out 14 hits last night, including 3 apiece for Austin Jackson and Miguel Cabrera. It was their best offensive output since August 25^th. A pair of aces go to the mound tonight in Chicago with Justin Verlander starting for the Tigers against Chris Sale, who hasn’t lost at home in 4 months. However, Verlander is 12-and-1 in his last 13 starts against the White Sox. And the Cubs made it 5 wins in 6 games with their 5-to-1 victory last night at Houston.