CHICAGO, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Alex Avila hit a two-run homer with one away in the ninth inning Saturday, rallying the Detroit Tigers to a 3-2 decision over the Chicago White Sox.
The setback shoved the White Sox two games behind first-place Minnesota in the American League Central.
Detroit had managed only a Carlos Guillen homer in the sixth until J.J. Putz (5-4) came on in the ninth to try to close out a one-run victory.
Brandon Inge opened the inning with a single and, after Ryan Raburn had struck out, Avila sent the first pitch from Putz out to left-center for his fifth homer of the year.
That made a winner out of Phil Coke (7-2), who worked 1 1/3 innings of relief.
Chicago lost for the fifth time in seven games. Juan Pierre and Omar Vizquel drove in the Chicago runs.
