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CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Lobstein is content to let batters make contact — weak contact.
Lobstein allowed five hits in 7 2-3 innings, Miguel Cabrera scored twice and drove in a run and the Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox 4-1 Thursday to salvage the finale of a three-game series.
"He was outstanding," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "He located, mixed speeds, threw his cutter in on right-handed batters and changeup away from right-handed batters. He had as good an outing as I've seen from him. The last month of 2014 and the first month this season he's pitched pretty well for us."
Lobstein (3-2) threw 100 pitches and lasted at least seven innings for the third straight start. The run he allowed was unearned, leaving him with a 3.00 ERA.
Lobstein's only jam came in the fourth inning, when Chicago tied the score and loaded the bases with no outs. Alexei Ramirez grounded sharply to third baseman Nick Castellanos, who stepped on the bag and threw home in time for Alex Avila to tag Jose Abreu.
"That obviously can change the course of the game right there," Lobstein said. "The momentum swings back to our side."
Said Ausmus: "The only thing that would have been better would be a triple play."
Victor Martinez and Nick Castellanos each drove in a run and Detroit bounced back after blowing a 6-3 eighth-inning lead on Wednesday. Joakim Soria struck out all four batters he faced for his 11th save.
"Had more strikeouts than I did," said Lobstein, who fanned three.
Avisail Garcia had an RBI single in the fourth inning for the White Sox.
Chicago starter Jose Quintana (1-3) allowed two runs and four hits in five innings with a season-high eight strikeouts.
"It was a short one today for him," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "They did a good job of kind of working him. He had a high pitch count there just getting through the fifth. It's a tough lineup to go through."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: SS Jose Iglesias was not in the lineup because of a mild groin injury. "It might be a couple of days," Ausmus said when asked for a timetable of the 25-year-old's return.
Iglesias apparently was injured in the eighth inning Wednesday night when he scored from second base on a single by Victor Martinez.
White Sox: RHP Nate Jones (right elbow) is scheduled to throw a side session Friday. Jones underwent Tommy John surgery in July.
UP NEXT
Tigers: Detroit opens a three-game series at home Friday against AL champion Kansas City. LHP David Price (3-1, 2.93 ERA) faces RHP Yordano Ventura (2-2, 4.94 ERA). In his previous start, Price pitched a five-hitter to beat the Royals 2-1 last weekend.
White Sox: RHP Hector Noesi (0-3, 6.75) faces Cincinnati RHP Jason Marquis (3-1, 5.22) on Friday. Noesi is 0-6 with a 5.40 ERA in his past eight starts.
ON SALE
White Sox pitcher Chris Sale has dropped his appeal of a five-game suspension for his actions during an April 23 brawl with the Royals. Sale allowed five runs and seven hits Wednesday against Detroit and started serving the penalty Thursday. If there are not any postponements, he would be eligible to rejoin the active roster for the May 12 game against Milwaukee.
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