DETROIT — Two miscalled strikes against the Tigers and two home runs by Eric Haase gave Detroit an 11-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox Saturday at Comerica Park. The loss ended the Sox' five-game winning streak.
Dallas Keuchel (6-3) allowed seven runs on seven hits and three walks in four-plus innings, striking out two.
"I thought we had a good game plan going in," Keuchel said. "Some early strikes and then just one thing after another. It's just bad luck there."
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Bad luck came for Keuchel in the bottom of the fifth inning after the southpaw let up a two-run single to Jonathan Schoop and an RBI single to Jeimer Candelario. The score was tied at five before Schoop's at-bat.
Ryan Burr came in for Keuchel and struck out Miguel Cabrera and Haase back-to-back before getting in a full count faceoff with Robbie Grossman. Burr threw a fastball for a strike, but the umpire, Tom Hallion, called ball four.
The bases were loaded for Zack Short, who also dealt with a full count against Burr. Burr once again threw a fastball — painting the top-left corner — and a second missed call was made by Hallion. Schoop scored on the walk and the Tigers led 7-5.
"Outside of a few kinda miss fires on a few of those walks, I thought I was around the plate really, really, really well," Keuchel said. "Just kinda tossed up pitches that Tom (Hallion) didn't think caught the outside corner, and, look up, and I got seven runs on my game."
MLB
Pitching coach Ethan Katz called out Hallion over the missed strikes from the dugout and Katz was ejected.
"It's a game built on emotions, it's a big call, and he (Katz) reacted, but he didn't react in a disrespectful way," Tony La Russa said.
Tim Anderson began the day with a leadoff double. Jose Abreu singled on a sharp line drive to center field to score Anderson from third base. Andrew Vaughn hit a single to right field, bringing Abreu to third base. Leury Garcia grounded into a force out and brought in Abreu for a 2-0 lead.
The Sox held onto the lead until the fourth inning, but things started going south. Haase came up to bat with two runners on and hit a sharp ball to Billy Hamilton in center field. Hamilton dove for the ball and missed, giving Haase a three-run-inside-the-park home run.
"Billy's always out there looking out for us as pitchers and trying to make plays not only for himself but the team," Keuchel said. "I don't have any problems with what happened on the play, I mean, that's a big-league play."
Haase also hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning.
Déjà vu struck the Sox in the fourth inning when Anderson hit his second leadoff double, and Abreu brought him home with another RBI single.
The Sox took the lead for the final time in the fifth inning when Garcia hit a two-run home run into left field off of Tarik Skubal (5-7). The score was 5-3.
Garcia finished the day with three RBIs.
Jake Burger — who had a stellar debut in Friday night's game — went 0-for-4, and endured his first career strikeout. The Tigers also halted Zack Collins (0-for-4), who is filling in for Yasmani Grandal. Grandal left Friday's game in the fifth inning with tightness in his left calf.
La Russa said he doesn't plan to play Grandal in Sunday's finale against the Tigers.
The Sox look to bounce back against Detroit before heading to Minnesota for a three-game series against the Twins.