Miguel Vargas homered twice in four hits, scored three runs and drove in three more as the visiting Chicago White Sox topped the Detroit Tigers 9-5 on Friday night.
Braden Montgomery had three hits and three RBIs for the White Sox, who pushed their lead in the American League Central Division to 3 1/2 games over Detroit. Tristan Peters supplied a two-run homer for the White Sox.
Ben Malgeri had two homers and drove in three runs for Detroit. Eduardo Valencia and Gleyber Torres added two hits and an RBI each.
Tigers starter Jackson Jobe (1-1) gave up six runs on nine hits and one walk in 3 2/3 innings.
The game got off to a wild start as Jobe hit the first two batters in the foot. With two out, Braden Montgomery singled to left to knock in Sam Antonacci.
Detroit took a 2-1 lead in the second. Spencer Torkelson reached base on a single and Malgeri drove a changeup from Jose Urquidy (1-1) over the left-field wall.
The Tigers made it 3-1 in the third. Kevin McGonigle singled with two outs, and Valencia knocked him in with a double to left.
Chicago then erupted for five runs in the fourth. Chase Meidroth led off with a single and Peters slammed a first-pitch fastball over the right-center field wall.
Jobe set down the next two batters but Munetaka Murakami took advantage of a 3-0 fastball and crushed it over the right-field wall. Vargas followed with a double and Andrew Benintendi walked before Braden Montgomery blasted a triple to center to plate both runners.
With Enmanuel De Jesus on the mound, Chicago increased its lead to 8-3 in the sixth. Murakami drew a one-out walk and Vargas clobbered a changeup over the left-field wall.
The Tigers pulled within 8-5 in the seventh. Malgeri led off with a homer and Max Clark followed with a triple before scoring on Torres’ groundout.
Vargas ripped a Ty Madden fastball over the left-field wall in the eighth for a solo shot.
