Looking to stave off a four-game sweep, the White Sox were counting on Davis “The Dart” Martin to be pinpoint against a Detroit Tigers offense that put up 27 runs in the first three games. Since getting beat up by the Minnesota Twins on August 2, Martin, had covered 16 innings while allowing just three earned runs (1.68 ERA) over his last three outings. Interim manager Grady Sizemore and pitching coach Ethan Katz have kept Martin between 80 to 85 pitches in starts in his return from Tommy John surgery, so he would need to be efficient early.
Making his major league debut for Detroit against the Sox hitters was right-handed pitcher, Ty Madden. Selected 32nd overall in the 2021 MLB Draft, Madden enjoyed great success at the Double-A level but had ugly numbers with Toledo in Triple-A. Spanning 18 starts in the International League, Madden had a 7.97 ERA while allowing 17 home runs. The good news was Madden struck out 102 in 79 innings, but the 40 walks are an eyebrow-raiser. Facing a rookie pitcher who has posted shaky Triple-A numbers in hot weather at the ballpark (It was 91 degrees at first pitch), surely the White Sox' lackluster hitters could take advantage of the situation presented to them.
In the first, Andrew Vaughn capitalized on his run-scoring opportunity. Luis Robert Jr. walked and advanced to third base when Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkleson didn't glove Andrew Benintendi's grounder. Vaughn was next, and he hit a deep enough fly ball to plate Robert. The unearned run gave the White Sox an early 1-0 lead.
Another White Sox rally was cooking in the third inning. Brooks Baldwin hit a leadoff single and stole second base, and Madden would lose control and walk Nicky Lopez to put two runners on leading off the inning. Tigers pitching coach Chris Fetter made a mound visit to help the rookie pitcher get back in sync. That worked momentarily as Robert grounded into a fielder's choice to short, and Benintendi popped out on an infield fly. With two outs, it was up to Vaughn to deliver, and he did again as his duck-snort single scored Baldwin, and the White Sox were up 2-0.
Meanwhile, Martin was on cruise control until the fifth inning. But with two outs in the fifth, Martin gave up singles to Kerry Carpenter and Matt Vierling, putting runners on the corners. Katz came out to check on Martin, only for Colt Keith to make it three singles in a row after the mound visit. Carpenter scored, and the Sox lead was cut to 2-1. But Martin would eventually get out of the jam by striking out Jace Jung on his 87th pitch, a kick change for a whiff on the 10th pitch of the at-bat.
That would end Martin's night as he went 5 IP, 7 H, ER, BB, 4 K to lower his season ERA to 2.96. Jared Shuster replaced Martin in the sixth inning, who promptly gave up a double to Torkleson but stranded him in scoring position, holding the lead.
Shuster had a different luck in the seventh. Parker Meadows demolished a four-seam fastball for a solo home run, his fifth in 2024, and the game was briefly tied. A walk allowed to Vierling and back-to-back singles had Shuster coughing up the lead. With the Sox down 3-2, it was Justin Anderson's turn to stomp out the rally.
On a 1-1 slider, Torkelson took Anderson to deep center field for a three-run homer. In a blink of an eye, Detroit scored five runs to take a 6-2 lead, and that outburst gave White Sox opponents 100 runs scored in the seventh inning on the year.
Game Notes:
- Andrew Benintendi hit his 14th home run of 2024 with a solo shot in the eighth inning
- Dominic Fletcher and Brooks Baldwin both had a multi-hit games
- Andrew Vaughn was 1-for-3 with 2 RBI
