CHICAGO (AP) -- Leury Garcia singled home the winning run in the ninth as the Chicago White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 4-3 on Saturday and avoided finishing last in the AL Central.
Pinch hitter J.B. Shuck doubled to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth. After Jose Abreu was intentionally walked, Garcia singled.
Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run home run for the Tigers and virtually locked up the AL batting title. He had three hits to raise his AL-best average to .338 while Boston's Xander Bogaerts was hitless in four at-bats to drop to .320. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said Cabrera will likely not play Sunday in the season finale.
Detroit is 2 1-2 games behind Chicago for last place in the division after winning the Central the last four seasons.
Cabrera's 18th home run deflected off the top of the center field wall just past center fielder Adam Eaton's reach for a one-run Detroit lead in the sixth. The home run was Cabrera's first since Aug. 26, snapping a streak of 104 homerless at-bats for the longest drought of his career. Anthony Gose scored after he drew a leadoff walk.
The Tigers took a 3-2 lead into the ninth after an RBI double by pinch-hitter James McCann scored Rajai Davis.
Melky Cabrera and Alexei Ramirez also had RBI doubles for Chicago.
Ramirez tied the game with an RBI double in the sixth. Cabrera doubled to give the White Sox a one-run lead in the first.
Nate Jones (2-2) struck out one in 1-3 of an inning for the victory. Neftali Feliz (3-4) allowed two runs while only getting two outs for his seventh blown save.
Justin Verlander struck out nine in six innings. He has thrown a quality start in 12 of his last 14 outings after he missed the first two months of the season due to a right triceps strain.
Erik Johnson nearly matched Verlander, allowing two runs in 6 1-3 innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: DH Victor Martinez was out of the lineup for a fourth straight game Saturday after he injured his left quadriceps Monday against Texas. "I'd say he's day-to-day, but really there's only one day left, so he's `day'," Ausmus said. . RHP Alfredo Simon revealed after throwing eight innings on Friday that he has played hurt all year. Ausmus said he was unaware of the condition, which has been diagnosed as patellar tendinosis in Simon's left knee. "I guess for as many DL stints as we see nowadays in the big leagues I think a player should be applauded for gutting through," Ausmus said.
UP NEXT
Tigers: LHP Daniel Norris (2-2, 4.09 ERA) will start the season finale Sunday. He threw five scoreless innings against Chicago on Sept. 22.
White Sox: RHP Frankie Montas (0-1, 5.73 ERA) will make his second start. He allowed six runs in three innings in his debut Sept. 23 against Detroit.
