Tigers 3, White Sox 1 Snap Reaction: That sure beat the alternative

Snap Reaction: Detroit beat Chicago, 3-1, mostly thanks to the work of the pitching staff and fielders. When the team seems like it can't score more than three runs, I guess that's the only way to get it done.

It does not take long to tell you how Detroit scored. Austin Jackson led off the first with a home run. Prince Fielder hit a towering home run in the third. Finally, Andy Dirks -- enjoying the two-spot in the batting order -- had a solo shot of his own in the eighth.

Yep, that was it. Detroit had 10 hits and took four walks, but stranded 12.

In the other half of each inning, Rick Porcello managed to keep Chicago off the board for nearly seven innings. In 6 1/3 innings, he allowed four hits, two walks and a run. That run came on a first-inning homer off the bat of Adam Dunn. He struck out five and forced nine ground balls during that period.

The bullpen helped do the rest. Octavio Dotel and Phil Coke each recorded an out to get out of the seventh. Joaquin Benoit had a perfect eighth.

Of course, the "Big Potato," Papa Grande, Jose Valverde, whatever you want to call him, allowed a runner to get to second base after a leadoff single then issued a one-out walk. Why have an easy game when you can collect that Tums sponsorship, I guess. Anyway, he got out of it.

It wasn't pretty, but Detroit took two of three from the White Sox and had a ninth-inning lead in the other game. The offense still has to get its act in gear, but things could certainly have been worse.