DETROIT -- Some players go years without hitting a game-ending home run.
Detroit rookie James McCann has done it twice in the past six weeks.
McCann's solo homer in the bottom of the ninth inning completed a dramatic Detroit comeback, and the Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox 5-4 on Sunday. Detroit trailed 4-0 before scoring four runs in the eighth off Chicago starter Jeff Samardzija.
It was McCann's third homer of the year and his first since May 21, when the Detroit catcher went deep in the 11th inning to beat Houston.
"I think he's been doing a great job," teammate Victor Martinez said. "He's been catching great games, he's been swinging the bat pretty good. At this point I don't think anybody is surprised what he's doing. The guy can hit."
Martinez had the game's other big hit -- a three-run double that tied it in the eighth.
Joakim Soria (3-0) pitched a perfect top of the ninth, and McCann's one-out drive off Zach Putnam (1-3) cleared the fence in left field to end the game.
"An 0-2 pitch, I was just looking for something up," McCann said. "I knew it had a chance."
McCann has two game-ending homers in the first 61 games of his career. The last player to do that was Tim Salmon of the California Angels, according to STATS. Salmon's second came in 1993, in his 40th game.
Samardzija allowed only two hits over the first seven innings, but he couldn't make it through the eighth.
Samardzija was breezing along until McCann started the bottom of the eighth with a single. After a walk by Jose Iglesias and a single by Anthony Gose, the Chicago right-hander hit Ian Kinsler to force home the first Detroit run.
Miguel Cabrera struck out, but Martinez found the gap in right-center to clear the bases on Samardzija's 110th and final pitch.
"After he got Miggy, and especially the way he did it, he obviously still had something left in the tank to go after Victor," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "We were going hitter by hitter that inning, and we felt like Jeff was the best matchup."
Melky Cabrera homered and had three hits for the White Sox, who scored two runs each in the fourth and sixth. Detroit's David Price allowed four runs and six hits in six innings. He struck out five.
Price allowed only one hit through the first three innings, but Jose Abreu led off with a double in the fourth -- then advanced to third when Detroit's Yoenis Cespedes fell over while picking up the ball at the fence in left for an error. Avisail Garcia followed with a sacrifice fly, and Melky Cabrera made it 2-0 with his second homer of the season.
Adam Eaton tripled to start Chicago's sixth-inning rally. He scored on Garcia's single, and Adam LaRoche added a sacrifice fly.
CONFUSION
Both Price and Tigers manager Brad Ausmus used the word "miscommunication" to describe what happened after the sixth inning. The left-hander thought he was out of the game, but Ausmus was expecting him to continue. Price said he had gone back to the clubhouse already. He'd thrown 99 pitches.
"I was up here doing arm exercises," Price said. "(Justin Verlander) ran up the tunnel and said, `You are still in the game.' I said, `No, I'm not. I have zero uniform on right now."
Price said he'd take the blame for the confusion. The Tigers eventually summoned Alex Wilson in from the bullpen.
BOTTOM OF THE ORDER
Samardzija was disappointed about the way the eighth-inning rally started, with Detroit's No. 8 and 9 hitters getting on base.
"I'd say from 2-7, everyone in that lineup is capable of putting up a crooked number at any moment," he said. "The problem was that I didn't get the other guys in that inning. I let McCann get on, and then the walk to Iglesias."
TRAINER'S ROOM
White Sox: Abreu looked as if he was in a bit of discomfort after reaching third base in the fourth, but he stayed in the game. He also remained in after being hit by a pitch in the sixth.
Tigers: C Alex Avila (left knee) caught for Triple-A Toledo on Sunday and went 1 for 3 as part of his rehab assignment.
UP NEXT
Both teams are off Monday.
White Sox: Ace Chris Sale (6-4) takes the mound at St. Louis on Tuesday night. Lance Lynn (5-4) starts for the Cardinals. Sale is the fourth pitcher in major league history to strike out 10 or more in at least seven consecutive starts. His seven-start streak began May 23.
Tigers: Verlander (0-1) returns from a back issue to face Pittsburgh's Gerrit Cole (11-3) on Tuesday night.
Detroit rookie James McCann has done it twice in the past six weeks.
McCann's solo homer in the bottom of the ninth inning completed a dramatic Detroit comeback, and the Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox 5-4 on Sunday. Detroit trailed 4-0 before scoring four runs in the eighth off Chicago starter Jeff Samardzija.
It was McCann's third homer of the year and his first since May 21, when the Detroit catcher went deep in the 11th inning to beat Houston.
"I think he's been doing a great job," teammate Victor Martinez said. "He's been catching great games, he's been swinging the bat pretty good. At this point I don't think anybody is surprised what he's doing. The guy can hit."
Martinez had the game's other big hit -- a three-run double that tied it in the eighth.
Joakim Soria (3-0) pitched a perfect top of the ninth, and McCann's one-out drive off Zach Putnam (1-3) cleared the fence in left field to end the game.
"An 0-2 pitch, I was just looking for something up," McCann said. "I knew it had a chance."
McCann has two game-ending homers in the first 61 games of his career. The last player to do that was Tim Salmon of the California Angels, according to STATS. Salmon's second came in 1993, in his 40th game.
Samardzija allowed only two hits over the first seven innings, but he couldn't make it through the eighth.
Samardzija was breezing along until McCann started the bottom of the eighth with a single. After a walk by Jose Iglesias and a single by Anthony Gose, the Chicago right-hander hit Ian Kinsler to force home the first Detroit run.
Miguel Cabrera struck out, but Martinez found the gap in right-center to clear the bases on Samardzija's 110th and final pitch.
"After he got Miggy, and especially the way he did it, he obviously still had something left in the tank to go after Victor," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "We were going hitter by hitter that inning, and we felt like Jeff was the best matchup."
Melky Cabrera homered and had three hits for the White Sox, who scored two runs each in the fourth and sixth. Detroit's David Price allowed four runs and six hits in six innings. He struck out five.
Price allowed only one hit through the first three innings, but Jose Abreu led off with a double in the fourth -- then advanced to third when Detroit's Yoenis Cespedes fell over while picking up the ball at the fence in left for an error. Avisail Garcia followed with a sacrifice fly, and Melky Cabrera made it 2-0 with his second homer of the season.
Adam Eaton tripled to start Chicago's sixth-inning rally. He scored on Garcia's single, and Adam LaRoche added a sacrifice fly.
CONFUSION
Both Price and Tigers manager Brad Ausmus used the word "miscommunication" to describe what happened after the sixth inning. The left-hander thought he was out of the game, but Ausmus was expecting him to continue. Price said he had gone back to the clubhouse already. He'd thrown 99 pitches.
"I was up here doing arm exercises," Price said. "(Justin Verlander) ran up the tunnel and said, `You are still in the game.' I said, `No, I'm not. I have zero uniform on right now."
Price said he'd take the blame for the confusion. The Tigers eventually summoned Alex Wilson in from the bullpen.
BOTTOM OF THE ORDER
Samardzija was disappointed about the way the eighth-inning rally started, with Detroit's No. 8 and 9 hitters getting on base.
"I'd say from 2-7, everyone in that lineup is capable of putting up a crooked number at any moment," he said. "The problem was that I didn't get the other guys in that inning. I let McCann get on, and then the walk to Iglesias."
TRAINER'S ROOM
White Sox: Abreu looked as if he was in a bit of discomfort after reaching third base in the fourth, but he stayed in the game. He also remained in after being hit by a pitch in the sixth.
Tigers: C Alex Avila (left knee) caught for Triple-A Toledo on Sunday and went 1 for 3 as part of his rehab assignment.
UP NEXT
Both teams are off Monday.
White Sox: Ace Chris Sale (6-4) takes the mound at St. Louis on Tuesday night. Lance Lynn (5-4) starts for the Cardinals. Sale is the fourth pitcher in major league history to strike out 10 or more in at least seven consecutive starts. His seven-start streak began May 23.
Tigers: Verlander (0-1) returns from a back issue to face Pittsburgh's Gerrit Cole (11-3) on Tuesday night.
1:08PM,EDT,June 28,2015
Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Chicago - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| David Price pitching for Detroit | CHW | DET |
| Eaton grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
| Abreu popped out to first. | 0 | 0 |
| García reached on infield single to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
| Cabrera flied out to center. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Jeff Samardzija pitching for Chicago | CHW | DET |
| Gose lined out to center. | 0 | 0 |
| Kinsler grounded out to third. | 0 | 0 |
| Cabrera walked. | 0 | 0 |
| V. Martínez lined out to left. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Chicago - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| David Price pitching for Detroit | CHW | DET |
| LaRoche grounded out to pitcher. | 0 | 0 |
| Ramírez flied out to center. | 0 | 0 |
| Beckham struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Jeff Samardzija pitching for Chicago | CHW | DET |
| Céspedes fouled out to first. | 0 | 0 |
| J.D. Martinez struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Castellanos grounded out to second. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Chicago - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| David Price pitching for Detroit | CHW | DET |
| Soto struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Bonifacio struck out looking. | 0 | 0 |
| Eaton flied out to left. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Jeff Samardzija pitching for Chicago | CHW | DET |
| McCann grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
| Iglesias singled to center. | 0 | 0 |
| Gose grounded out to first, Iglesias to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Kinsler struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Chicago - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| David Price pitching for Detroit | CHW | DET |
| Abreu doubled to left, Abreu to third on error by left fielder Céspedes. | 0 | 0 |
| García hit sacrifice fly to left, Abreu scored. | 1 | 0 |
| Cabrera homered to left (450 feet). | 2 | 0 |
| LaRoche struck out swinging. | 2 | 0 |
| Ramírez grounded out to shortstop. | 2 | 0 |
| 2 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Jeff Samardzija pitching for Chicago | CHW | DET |
| Cabrera grounded out to third. | 2 | 0 |
| V. Martínez popped out to shortstop. | 2 | 0 |
| Céspedes flied out to right. | 2 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Chicago - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| David Price pitching for Detroit | CHW | DET |
| Beckham flied out to left. | 2 | 0 |
| Soto grounded out to second. | 2 | 0 |
| Bonifacio struck out swinging. | 2 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Jeff Samardzija pitching for Chicago | CHW | DET |
| J.D. Martinez struck out swinging. | 2 | 0 |
| Castellanos lined out to right. | 2 | 0 |
| McCann grounded out to shortstop. | 2 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Chicago - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| David Price pitching for Detroit | CHW | DET |
| Eaton tripled to right. | 2 | 0 |
| Abreu hit by pitch. | 2 | 0 |
| García singled to right, Eaton scored, Abreu to second. | 3 | 0 |
| Cabrera singled to center, Abreu to third, García to second. | 3 | 0 |
| LaRoche hit sacrifice fly to left, Abreu scored. | 4 | 0 |
| Ramírez grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Cabrera out at second, García to third. | 4 | 0 |
| Beckham grounded out to second. | 4 | 0 |
| 2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Jeff Samardzija pitching for Chicago | CHW | DET |
| Iglesias flied out to right. | 4 | 0 |
| Gose walked. | 4 | 0 |
| Kinsler singled to deep right, Gose to third. | 4 | 0 |
| Cabrera flied out to right. | 4 | 0 |
| V. Martínez flied out to left. | 4 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Chicago - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Alex Wilson pitching for Detroit | CHW | DET |
| A. Wilson relieved Price. | 4 | 0 |
| Soto singled to center. | 4 | 0 |
| Bonifacio grounded into fielder's choice to pitcher, Soto out at second. | 4 | 0 |
| Bonifacio caught stealing second, catcher to shortstop. | 4 | 0 |
| Eaton popped out to shortstop. | 4 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Jeff Samardzija pitching for Chicago | CHW | DET |
| Sánchez at second base. | 4 | 0 |
| Céspedes flied out to center. | 4 | 0 |
| J.D. Martinez fouled out to first. | 4 | 0 |
| Castellanos grounded out to shortstop. | 4 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Chicago - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Alex Wilson pitching for Detroit | CHW | DET |
| Abreu struck out swinging. | 4 | 0 |
| García flied out to left. | 4 | 0 |
| Gorzelanny relieved A. Wilson. | 4 | 0 |
| Cabrera singled to left. | 4 | 0 |
| LaRoche struck out swinging. | 4 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Jeff Samardzija pitching for Chicago | CHW | DET |
| McCann singled to left. | 4 | 0 |
| Iglesias walked, McCann to second. | 4 | 0 |
| Gose singled to center, McCann to third, Iglesias to second. | 4 | 0 |
| Kinsler hit by pitch, McCann scored, Iglesias to third, Gose to second. | 4 | 1 |
| Cabrera struck out swinging. | 4 | 1 |
| V. Martínez doubled to deep right center, Iglesias, Gose and Kinsler scored. | 4 | 4 |
| Putnam relieved Samardzija. | 4 | 4 |
| Céspedes struck out swinging. | 4 | 4 |
| J.D. Martinez fouled out to first. | 4 | 4 |
| 4 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Chicago - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Joakim Soria pitching for Detroit | CHW | DET |
| Soria relieved Gorzelanny. | 4 | 4 |
| Ramírez grounded out to pitcher. | 4 | 4 |
| Beckham struck out swinging. | 4 | 4 |
| Soto flied out to center. | 4 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Bottom of 9th | SCORE | |
| Zach Putnam pitching for Chicago | CHW | DET |
| Castellanos struck out swinging. | 4 | 4 |
| McCann homered to left (376 feet). | 4 | 5 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Chicago White Sox | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Eaton CF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | .252 | .318 | .388 |
| Abreu DH | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 22 | .291 | .343 | .495 |
| García RF | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 20 | .270 | .319 | .393 |
| Cabrera LF | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | .255 | .297 | .314 |
| LaRoche 1B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 22 | .233 | .338 | .400 |
| Ramírez SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | .216 | .240 | .286 |
| Beckham 3B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 | .213 | .278 | .340 |
| Soto C | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | .229 | .289 | .390 |
| Bonifacio 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12 | .155 | .178 | .169 |
Sánchez 2B
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .164 | .208 | .221 |
| Totals | 32 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 149 | |||
| BATTING 2B: Abreu (13, Price) 3B: Eaton (6, Price) HR: Cabrera (2, 4th inning off Price 0 on, 1 Out) RBI: García 2 (29), Cabrera (26), LaRoche (31) SF: LaRoche, García White Sox RISP: 2-4 (García 1-1, Cabrera 1-1, Ramírez 0-1, Beckham 0-1) Team LOB: 4 | ||||||||||
| BASERUNNING CS: Bonifacio (4, 2nd base by A. Wilson/McCann) | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Comerica Park, Detroit, MI |
| Attendance | 39,455 (94.9% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 3:01 |
| Weather | 69 degrees, partly cloudy |
| Wind | 14 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Jeff Kellogg, First Base - Brian O'Nora, Second Base - Alan Porter, Third Base - Mark Ripperger |
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