DETROIT — Alex Faedo struck out a career-high 10 batters to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 7-2 win over the Chicago White Sox in the series opener on Thursday night at Comerica Park.
The Tigers (23-25) have three more against the Sox (21-31) this weekend.
Faedo allowed two runs on three hits over six innings. He got 18 swings and misses and struck out 10 of the final 15 batters he faced.
In four starts this season, Faedo has 22 strikeouts and just one walk in 21 2/3 innings.
White Sox started Lucas Giolito walked a career-high seven batters in just 3 2/3 innings of work, but the Tigers missed opportunities to score until breaking out for four runs in the fourth.
Akil Baddoo hit a towering solo home run to right field to lead off the inning. Javier Baez hit a bases-loaded, two-run single and Spencer Torkelson followed two batters later with a run-scoring single.
The Tigers picked up an insurance run in the sixth when Sox reliever Garrett Crochet hit Zach McKinstry with a pitch and Riley Greene followed with an RBI single.
Tigers reserve infielder Zack Short was the hero of Wednesday night’s victory in Kansas City after hitting a pinch-hit, three-run home run. He had a two-run single to pad the Tigers’ lead in the eighth.
Faedo is just the third pitcher in Tigers’ franchise history to strike out 10 batters without a walk while allowing three hits or fewer. The others are Denny McLain (1965) and Anibal Sanchez (2014).
Up next: The Tigers and White Sox meet again on Friday at 6:40 p.m. at Comerica Park.
Tigers lefty Joey Wentz (1-4, 7.45 ERA) will face Sox right-hander Lance Lynn (3-5, 6.28).
In his last four starts, Wentz has given up 16 earned runs on 28 hits, including six home runs, in 16 1/3 innings (8.82 ERA).
After a bumpy beginning to the season, Lynn has posted back-to-back strong starts. The 12-year MLB veteran has generally pitched well against current Tigers, although Javier Baez is 3-for-9 with two doubles against him.
