The White Sox continued their current slide that has taken them out of the A.L.Central race,but the most expensive singles hitter(almost $4 million for six weeks)finally got a homer(and extra base hit and RBI). Max Scherzer struck out 11 in eight innings and Alex Avila hit a go-ahead two-run double in the seventh to lead the Tigers to a 9-2 victory over the all but finished White Sox on Friday.Austin Jackson had a two-run homer and Jhonny Peralta had an RBI single in a six-run seventh inning for the Tigers, who won for the second time in six games. Peralta finished 2 for 4 with two RBI.Scherzer (11-10) allowed two hits — solo homers to Manny Ramirez and Brent Morel. After giving up Morel’s in the fifth, Scherzer settled down to retire 10 of the last 11 batters he faced.Scherzer was acquired last December in a three-way trade that sent Curtis Granderson to the New York Yankees, Edwin Jackson to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Phil Coke and Austin Jackson to the Tigers.The trade has certainly paid off for the Tigers thanks to emergence of Austin Jackson and Scherzer. Scherzer dropped his ERA to 3.54 and Jackson is hitting over .300 in the leadoff spot.After a devastating three-game sweep to Minnesota, the Sox continued to fade in the AL Central by losing their 5th straight game and eighth of 10.Ramirez snapped an 84 at-bat homerless streak in the fourth inning with his first homer since June 19 at Boston while a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was Ramirez’s first extra base hit since the White Sox acquired him off waivers Aug. 30.The Tigers didn’t get their first hit off Edwin Jackson (3-2) until there were two outs in the sixth inning. But it quickly unraveled for Jackson an inning later, who started to experience cramps in his right calf during his warmup pitches before the seventh inning. Jackson was visited by busy trainer Herm Schneider during his warm up and insisted to stay in game.Pitching with a 2-0 lead in the seventh, Jackson allowed a single to Miguel Cabrera with one out. Cabrera advanced to third on Don Kelly’s single. During Ryan Raburn’s at-bat, Cabrera scored on Jackson’s wild pitch and Kelly went to second. After walking Raburn, Jackson’s night ended after giving up an RBI single to Peralta to tie the game.Jackson said he did feel the affects of the cramps in the seventh.Scott Linebrink relieved Jackson and struck out Brandon Inge, but Avila tagged Linebrink for a double to score Raburn and Peralta, giving the Tigers a 4-2 lead. Jackson ended Linebrink’s night with his fourth home run of the season to make it 6-2.Jackson pitched 6 1-3 innings, allowing four runs and four hits.Peralta and Inge hit consecutive RBI doubles in the ninth and Will Rhymes added a sacrifice fly.Morel gave Jackson and the White Sox an insurance run in the fifth inning with his second home run of the season.With two outs in the sixth, Jackson hit a slow bouncer to shortstop Alexei Ramirez, who slightly bobbled the ball allowing Jackson to just beat Ramirez’s throw at first for the Tigers’ first hit of the game.With two outs in the fourth, Ramirez ended his home run drought, hitting Scherzer’s 1-1 changeup into the left-field stands. It was ninth home run of the season and 555th of his career.After the game, Leyland said Phil Coke will take over the closer duties as Jose Valverde deals with unspecified issues. Leyland refused to get into specifics regarding Valverde.

NOTES—One night after getting hit in the face by a pitch from Twins starter Carl Pavano, Paul Konerko had the night off. Konerko was sporting a fat lip on Friday. A.J. Pierzynski and Omar Vizquel also had the night off. … White Sox RHP Lucas Harrell will start in place of Freddy Garcia (back) on Saturday.