Tigers blank punchless Sox again

DETROIT—Even after his team shut down the White Sox for the first two games of the series, Detroit’s Max Scherzer took nothing for granted.Scherzer was focused and prepared, allowing four hits in eight outstanding innings, and the Tigers beat the Sox 3-0 on Sunday to finish a three-game sweep of the struggling White Sox.Scherzer (4-0) struck out seven and walked three, helping the Tigers shut out the Sox for a second straight day. The White Sox were outscored 21-3 in the series and looked overmatched against Detroit starters Justin Verlander, Brad Penny and Scherzer.After Penny took a no-hitter into the sixth inning Saturday, Scherzer made it to the fifth with one before allowing A.J. Pierzynski’s leadoff single. Mark Teahen, the next batter, grounded into a double play.The White Sox have lost 10 of 11 and now must head to New York for a four-game series against the Yankees.John Danks (0-3) allowed three runs on nine hits in six innings. He struck out eight and walked two. Danks has a 3.27 ERA, but the White Sox haven’t won any of his five starts.Detroit has won nine straight over the White Sox.The Tigers opened the scoring in the fourth after loading the bases with nobody out. Danks struck out Casper Wells, but Avila hit a broken-bat groundball to drive in a run.Brandon Inge and Austin Jackson each hit RBI doubles with two outs in the sixth. Detroit has bounced back nicely from a 3-7 start. The Tigers are now 12-10, while the Sox and Minnesota — the other expected contenders in the American League Central — are below .500.Detroit’s starting pitchers have led the way with 14 quality starts in the last 18 games. The Tigers allowed three solo homers Friday night, but that was all of the Sox scoring in the series.Scherzer left after 104 pitches, and Jose Valverde pitched the ninth for his fifth save. The White Sox finished with five hits, and two of them didn’t leave the infield.Pierzynski and Juan Pierre had two hits each, but the White Sox didn’t get a runner past second base.Jackson and Brennan Boesch had two hits each for the Tigers.

NOTES—Jake Peavy threw a side session Sunday of at least 40 pitches and reported no issues. The Chicago right-hander has been bothered by muscle tenderness and irritation in his surgically repaired throwing shoulder. “It’s hard to be talking about this when the team is struggling like this,” Peavy said. “I let it go today and everything checked out. I’m excited about the progress.”….Omar Vizquel started at 2B on his 44th birthday. “I don’t think too many people think at the age of 44 they’ll still be playing baseball,” he said before the game. “I’m still having fun. That’s the main thing.”….Detroit DH Magglio Ordonez singled in the fifth and is now 15 for 26 against Danks….Adam Dunn drew his 1,000th walk in the fourth…..The time of game was 2 hours, 19 minutes.