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Here’s a quick look at the Cleveland Indians' 8-6 win over the Chicago White Sox in the first game of a doubleheader at Progressive Field on Monday.

How it happened: White Sox starter Philip Humber endured his third consecutive rough outing since throwing a perfect game on April 21. Humber allowed nine hits, eight runs and two walks in 2 1/3 innings on Monday. Over his last three starts, Humber has given up 21 hits, 20 runs, five home runs and 11 walks in 13 1/3 innings. The Indians opened up Monday’s game with five runs in the third inning and took an 8-2 lead. Michael Brantley and Casey Kotchman each had three RBIs for the Indians. Cleveland starter Zach McAllister, who attended Illinois Valley Central High School in Chillicothe, Ill., earned the win. White Sox pitcher Jose Quintana made his major league debut Monday when he replaced Humber in the third inning. He allowed one hit and no runs in 5 2/3 innings. Alexei Ramirez got the Sox closer in the ninth inning with a two-run single to cut it to 8-6.

What it means: The White Sox fell to three games under .500 (13-16) for the first time this season. They’ve gone 3-10 since being four games over .500 on April 23.

Outside the box: The White Sox starting staff appeared headed in a positive direction two weeks ago. That doesn’t appear to be the case any longer. Humber has allowed 20 runs in his last three starts. John Danks has given up 13 runs in his last two outings and has a 6.51 ERA on the season. Chris Sale looked sharp through five starts, but he’s now being moved to the closer role. It’s a move that will likely improve the bullpen, but weaken the starting rotation.

Up next: In the second game of the doubleheader on Monday, Eric Stults (0-0, 0.00) will make his season debut for the White Sox and his first major league start since 2009. He was 1-1 with a 2.20 ERA in five starters in Class AAA this season. Josh Tomlin (1-2, 5.27) will start for the Indians.

The Chicago White Sox recalled pitchers Eric Stults from Triple-A Charlotte and Jose Quintana from Double-A Birmingham before their doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians on Monday.

Teams are now allowed to carry 26 active players for certain doubleheaders according to the new collective bargaining agreement.

A non-roster invitee to spring training, Stults, 32, is 1-1 with a 2.20 ERA in five starts at Charlotte. The 23-year-old Quintana is 1-2 with a 3.06 ERA in six starts in Birmingham.

STREAKING

1. Adam Dunn, DH/1B: Game-winning home runs and big hits have been a part of the White Sox slugger’s game recently. Dunn told ESPNChicago.com that getting use to a DH routine has been key to his early season return to form. In the White Sox’s last seven games, Dunn is hitting .333 with 5 home runs and 9 RBIs. Dunn, who is batting .250 with nine home runs and 23 RBIs heading into Monday’s games, led all major league batters in home runs last week and had a game-winning blast off Tigers closer Jose Valverde on Saturday.

2. Gordon Beckham, 2B: Despite striking out with the tying and go-ahead runs on base to end Sunday’s loss to Detroit, Beckham is coming off his best week of hitting this season. Beckham came out of his season long slump with eight hits, batting .350 with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs in his past seven games. Hitting coach Jeff Manto has worked with Beckham, who is batting .215 on the season, on standing more erect at the plate thus avoiding a hitch from crouching too often. Beckham’s defense remains Gold Glove-caliber.

SLUMPING

1. Alexei Ramirez, SS: Ramirez is in a funk at the plate, going 2 for his last 16, dropping him to .196 on the season. The power numbers have also disappeared for Ramirez, who has just four extra-base hits in 112 at-bats. Ramirez is next to last in baseball with a sorry .476 OPS, including a .217 on-base percentage. But like his double-play partner Beckham, Ramirez’s defense is stellar.

2. Matt Thornton, RP: A tough week for the usually dependable Sox set-up man/closer, who posted a 15.43 ERA in his last three outings and a 2.14 WHIP. Thornton’s blown save and loss on Friday night against the Tigers was a product of a bullpen whose roles remain undefined with Chris Sale moving from the rotation to closer. Thornton is one of the top set-up men in the game, and he should remain in that role only.

DETROIT -- Adam Dunn hit another homer in the first inning -- and that was it for Chicago's offense.

Despite holding Detroit to 10 runs in the series, the White Sox ended up losing two of three to the defending AL Central champions.

Prince Fielder homered and Rick Porcello pitched impressively into the seventh inning to lead the Tigers to a 3-1 victory Sunday. Fielder's 432-foot shot to right-center -- his fourth of the year -- broke a 1-all tie in the third.

"We played neck and neck all weekend, but we couldn't get the one big hit we needed today to win this game and win the series," Dunn said. "That's frustrating, because we had so many opportunities, but Porcello was really good."

Porcello (3-2) allowed a run and four hits in 6 1-3 innings. Four relievers finished for the Tigers, with Jose Valverde pitching the ninth for his fifth save.

Dylan Axelrod (0-1) allowed two runs and six hits in 4 1-3 innings.

The first two games of the series were won on two-run homers in the ninth inning -- by Detroit's Jhonny Peralta on Friday night and Dunn on Saturday. The Tigers took the opener 5-4 before Chicago won the middle game 3-2.

(Read full post)

Following Sunday's 3-1 loss to Detroit, the Chicago White Sox optioned right-handed pitcher Dylan Axelrod to Triple-A Charlotte.

Axelrod, who made his first start of the year in Sunday's loss, is 0-1 with a 3.52 ERA in three appearances with the White Sox this season after being recalled from Charlotte on April 27. Axelrod took the loss Sunday, giving up two runs, both homers) on six hits in 4 1/3 innings.

A corresponding roster move will be made before the first game of Monday's split doubleheader at Cleveland.

A quick look at the Chicago White Sox's 3-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Sunday at Comerica Park.

How it happened: All four runs scored came on solo home runs, three by the Tigers and one by Adam Dunn. Dylan Axelrod's first start got off to a rocky beginning as he gave up a leadoff homer to Austin Jackson. Prince Fielder also homered off Axelrod in the third. Axelrod threw 99 pitches in 4 1/3 innings, giving up six hits and two walks while striking out four. Tigers starter Rick Porcello went 6 1/3 innings, allowing four hits but just one run on Dunn’s ninth homer of the season in the first inning. Dunn has five homers in the last seven games. Andy Dirks finished the scoring with a solo homer off Hector Santiago.

What it means: The White Sox failed to get back to .500, losing their fourth straight series since sweeping the Seattle Mariners April 20-22.

Outside the box: Dayan Viciedo left the game in the top of the seventh with an apparent right elbow injury. He was hit by a pitch.

Up next: The White Sox head to Cleveland for a day-night doubleheader against the Indians at Progressive Field. Game 1 starts at 12:05 CT and Game 2 is at 6:05 CT. Chicago manager Robin Ventura said that the White Sox will bring up Lefty Eric Stults from the minors to start the second game. Stults (0-0) will face Josh Tomlin (1-2). Phil Humber (1-1) will face Zach McAllister (0-0) in the opener.

Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.

DETROIT -- A day after losing to Detroit on a ninth-inning homer, Adam Dunn and the Chicago White Sox returned the favor.

Dunn hit a two-run shot deep into the right-field seats off Jose Valverde in the ninth Saturday and Chicago went on to beat the Tigers 3-2.

Detroit defeated the White Sox 5-4 on Friday night when Jhonny Peralta hit a two-run shot with one out in the ninth. There was also one out when Dunn hit his 422-foot drive off Valverde (2-1).

"We needed to win this game today," Dunn said. "I definitely didn't want to chase anything -- just got a pitch that I could get in the air and it happened to go out."

Nate Jones (1-0) got the win and Addison Reed came on to strike out Austin Jackson with runners on second and third for the final out. It was Reed's first career save.

Detroit's Delmon Young went hitless in his first game back from a seven-day suspension following his April 27 arrest in New York.

It was Valverde's second blown save of the season. He was perfect in 49 chances in 2011.

"Last year is over," Valverde said. "The closer, everybody knows, it's not easy. One pitch can be the game, like it was today. Adam Dunn got it."

Dunn endured a horrendous 2011 season, his first with the White Sox. After hitting at least 38 homers for seven straight years, he managed only 11 last season to go along with a .159 batting average.

He's back to his productive self so far in 2012, hitting .250 with eight homers.

"It's good," Dunn said. "This is kind of what I expect to do."

Paul Konerko also went deep for Chicago.

The Tigers scratched out their two runs in the second on RBI singles by Andy Dirks and Jackson.

The White Sox trailed 2-0 before Konerko's solo shot in the seventh. Alejandro De Aza started the ninth with a single and a stolen base. He was sacrificed to third and Dunn -- always a strikeout risk -- made solid contact to put Chicago ahead.

Jones had pitched the bottom of the eighth, and Hector Santiago came on to try to close it out, but a walk and a double put Chicago's slim lead in jeopardy. Reed, who hasn't allowed a run this season, got the best of Jackson to preserve the win.

Gavin Floyd allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings for the White Sox.

Floyd was unlucky in the second, allowing an RBI single to Dirks on a slow grounder that slipped between third baseman Brent Morel and shortstop Alexei Ramirez.

Jackson's run-scoring hit actually deflected off Morel and past Ramirez, who looked as though he might have been in position to keep the ball at least in the infield and prevent the runner on second from scoring.

"You just kind of stay positive and continue to try to make pitches," Floyd said. "Got the ball on the ground, and it seemed like they were just missing guys."

Floyd retired 12 in a row starting in the third. In his last three starts, he's allowed four runs in 21 innings.

Detroit's Max Scherzer yielded a run and four hits in seven innings. He struck out nine without a walk. Showing none of the control trouble that plagued him in a seven-walk performance last weekend against the Yankees, Scherzer retired the first 11 White Sox before Dunn lined a single to right.

Chicago's second hit nearly ended Scherzer's outing. In the fifth, A.J. Pierzynski's line drive up the middle hit Scherzer's right foot during the pitcher's follow through. The right-hander picked up the ball and threw wildly to first, and the play went for an infield single and an error, with Pierzynski ending up on second.

Scherzer stayed in the game and got out of the inning on a flyout and two strikeouts. He allowed a single to De Aza in the sixth -- then promptly picked him off first. Konerko broke up the shutout an inning later with a homer to left.

Young was reinstated from the restricted list Friday after his suspension, but he didn't play that night. He received mostly cheers and a few scattered boos from the home crowd for his first plate appearance.

A quick look at the Chicago White Sox's 3-2 comeback win over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday at Comerica Park.

How it happened: Adam Dunn's two-run homer in the ninth inning gave the White Sox their first lead of the game. Closer Hector Santiago ran into trouble in the bottom of the ninth, giving up a walk to Jhonny Peralta and a two-out, two-run double to Ryan Raburn. Addison Reed relieved Santiago and recorded the final out, striking out Austin Jackson for the save. Paul Konerko hit his sixth homer of the year, a solo shot, in the seventh. Gavin Floyd threw seven strong innings for the White Sox, allowing only two runs in the second inning. Floyd scattered seven hits and struck out six. Dunn and Alejandro De Aza each had two hits.

What it means: The White Sox evened the series with the Tigers at one apiece and improved to 6-4 against AL Central teams this season.

Outside the box score: The White Sox snapped a five-game losing streak at Comerica Park.

Up next: The Sox and Tigers conclude their series on Sunday at 12:05 CT. The probable starters are Dylan Axelrod (0-0, 2.70 ERA) for the Sox and Rick Porcello (2-2, 5.64 ERA) for the Tigers.

As a career position player prior to joining the Chicago White Sox in 2011, Adam Dunn's transition to DH was hardly a smooth one.

Chicago’s big-ticket free agent acquisition spent his first season as a full-time DH in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, grossly underperforming the four-year, $56 million deal he signed with the Sox. His .159 batting average in 2011 was a historically putrid year – and a low point in his career.

Dunn’s second season on the South Side has been a vast improvement; he leads the club with seven homers and 20 RBIs while getting on base at a .372 clip.

In an interview with ESPN 1000’s “Talkin’ Baseball” on Saturday, Dunn attributed his recent success to a change in routine.

“That was the thing: I really like being on the bench, and I don’t like being in the clubhouse,” Dunn said. “I think a lot of times I’d go and hit maybe too much. Then by my fourth at-bat or third at-bat, I’m gassed. I’d get so antsy to want to do something. ... You see the guys out there on the field and you feel like you need to be doing something. So you go in the cage and take 50 swings. … But I feel like I’ve done a better job this year of having a set routine. As long as I feel ready to hit every at-bat. I think I’ve kind of narrowed that down a bit.”

Though then-Sox manger Ozzie Guillen tried mixing Dunn in at both first base and in the outfield, the slugger played 81 games at DH, which was a dramatic departure from his prior seasons.

“With me, my personality, I’m pretty (hyper),” Dunn said. “That was real tough for me to, initially, kind of sit there and watch the game. But I’ve obviously found ways to bide my time now. That was a learning process, but it wasn’t that big of an excuse.”

While the pressure of the lucrative free-agent contract was often cited as a reason for his dramatic decline in production by media members, Dunn never bought into that logic.

“It’s one of those things where, if we were able to flip that switch on so-called contract years, that wouldn’t make so much sense,” Dunn said. “I think I’d want that switch on all the time … and be one of the best players of all time. (Contract pressure) is a built-in excuse. You definitely don’t want to get embarrassed and you definitely want to do your job not only for yourself but for the 24 other guys in the locker room.”

Even as he struggled, Dunn remained a model teammate. He’s been a staunch supporter of White Sox youngsters Gordon Beckham and Brent Morel, both of whom were in slumps out of the gate.

“You just gotta keep reminding them that they are starting in the big leagues for a reason,” Dunn told “Talkin Baseball.” “And they’ve been doing this their whole lives. Hitting is hard enough, and I think we complicate it more by probably thinking so much mechanics that you kind of overshadow the big picture, and that’s just put the barrel on the ball and it doesn’t really matter how you do it. As long as you do it.”

Dunn and the White Sox continue a three-game set with the Tigers on Saturday afternoon. Chicago dropped the series opener on Friday night.

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Adam Dunn talks about his improvement at the plate in his second season with the White Sox.

Click here for more audio from ESPN Chicago.

DETROIT -- The Chicago White Sox are shuffling their bullpen, and closer-to-be Chris Sale isn't expected to be ready until next week.

They could have used him on the mound Friday night.

Matt Thornton allowed a two-run homer by Jhonny Peralta in the bottom of the ninth inning, which gave the Detroit Tigers a 5-4 victory over Chicago. Sale is moving from the rotation back to the bullpen to take over as closer, but he pitched six innings Tuesday, so Thornton was left to try finishing Friday's game.

Hector Santiago has been Chicago's primary closer this season, but he has a 7.36 ERA.

"With everything going on today, we looked at the way they were lining up and went with Matt," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said.

After Alex Avila's one-out single in the ninth, Peralta ended it with a homer to right-center off Thornton (1-1).

"I threw one bad pitch tonight, and it got hit out of the park," Thornton said. "He fouled off a good pitch and then hammered a bad one. I left it over the plate and he got the barrel on it."

Jose Valverde (2-0) pitched the top of the ninth for the win.

Chicago led 4-2 after Gordon Beckham's tiebreaking two-run shot in the seventh, but Detroit got a run back in the eighth on an RBI single by Miguel Cabrera.

Chicago starter Jake Peavy allowed three runs and seven hits in 7 2/3 innings, but the bullpen couldn't hold the lead for him.

Detroit outfielder Delmon Young was reinstated Friday from the restricted list following a seven-day suspension, but he didn't play. Young was arrested last week and accused of yelling anti-Semitic epithets in New York.

The Tigers didn't need him. Avila hit his fourth homer of the year for Detroit, and Peralta's opposite-field shot -- his first of the season -- gave the Tigers the win.

"It's the best moment you can feel," Peralta said. "The first home run this year -- and walk-off. It's not bad, huh?"

Beckham had three hits for the White Sox.

Detroit rookie Drew Smyly allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings. He struck out seven.

Smyly hadn't allowed more than a run in any of his first four starts, and he had a 2-1 lead after Avila's solo shot in the fourth. But Alexei Ramirez led off the sixth with a triple and scored on Adam Dunn's sacrifice fly to tie it.

Octavio Dotel retired the first two Chicago hitters in the seventh in short order, but Brent Morel beat out a slow grounder for an infield single, and Beckham's second homer of the season made it 4-2.

Peavy, coming off back-to-back complete games, fell four outs short this time. He allowed an RBI single to Cabrera with his 122nd and final pitch, and Thornton came on and got Prince Fielder on a grounder to the mound, with part of the Detroit slugger's broken bat hitting the screen behind the plate.

"I hate that I couldn't get out of that inning, because that would have made it easier for Matt," Peavy said.

The White Sox are moving Sale back to the bullpen next week, but he isn't expected to pitch in this series. So Thornton came back out for the ninth and couldn't get through it.

The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the second on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Raburn. Chicago answered in the third with an RBI double from Beckham.

Game notes
Detroit RHP Doug Fister is expected to start Monday at Seattle after missing a month with a left side strain. Fister left his first start of the season April 7 in the fourth inning. ... Paul Konerko had two hits, giving him sole possession of fourth place on Chicago's career list with 2,009 -- two more than Eddie Collins. ... Tigers RHP Max Scherzer (1-3) faces Chicago RHP Gavin Floyd (2-3) on Saturday.

Here’s a quick look at the Chicago White Sox’s series-opening loss to the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.

How it happened: The White Sox rode a herculean effort from Jake Peavy through 7 2/3 innings, but their struggles to close games out continued. Jhonny Peralta’s two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning dealt the White Sox a crushing defeat. Peavy went 7 2/3 innings giving up three runs while striking out six in yet another strong start. At the plate, Gordon Beckham continued his hot-hitting ways by driving home three runs on a three-hit night. Beckham’s two-run homer in the top of the seventh broke a 2-2 tie.

What it means: Peavy continued to look like the Cy Young version of himself, and that, of course, bodes well for the White Sox moving forward. Conversely, Chicago’s problems finishing games with its bullpen continued. The blown save was Thornton’s first on the season.

Outside the box: The aforementioned problems closing out games will be addressed – and sooner than later. Robin Ventura announced before Friday’s game that Chris Sale, nursing a tender elbow, will be shifted from the starting rotation into the role of closer.

Next: Gavin Floyd (2-3) takes on Max Scherzer (1-3).

The Chicago White Sox are moving Chris Sale, who's been one of the more effective starters in the American League, from the rotation to the closer role, the team announced Friday.

Read the entire story.

CHICAGO -- From the outside looking in, Chicago White Sox pitcher John Danks gets why people may believe the pressure of being paid like top-tier pitcher is getting to him.

Danks received a substantial salary bump in the offseason when the White Sox gave him a five-year, $65 million contract extension. He’ll make $8 million this season and jump to $14.25 from 2013-2016. Next season’s wage would have placed him at No. 23 among starting pitchers in 2012.

It’s the kind of money that is expected to translate into ace-type numbers. But through six starts this season, Danks has been far from that.

After allowing six more runs in a 7-5 loss to the Cleveland Indians on Thursday, Danks fell to 2-4 with a 6.23 ERA. The only categories he’s among the league leaders in so far have home runs allowed (seven) and walks (16).

When asked after Thursday’s defeat if the heavy expectations that come with such a salary are affecting his pitching, Danks jumped on the question.

(Read full post)

CHICAGO -- As Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez started to celebrate his team’s 7-5 win on Thursday night, Chicago White Sox outfielder Alex Rios took exception.

Believing that the demonstrative closer was yelling at him, Rios wasn’t so quick to leave the field. Instead he stared down Perez and began to shout in his direction.

Even as the dust of Chicago’s loss settled, Rios was still somewhat flummoxed.

“I don’t know what was wrong with him,” Rios said. “He just started yelling … for no reason. … When I hit the ground ball and I was running to first, he was yelling (at me) the whole way.”

The brief exchange between the two players escalated no further than a few words, however.

“I couldn’t tell what he was saying, he was just staring and saying something,” Rios said after the game. “If he was celebrating, that is not the right way to do it.”

Perez had a different take on the final out of the game.

“He might of thought I was yelling at him,” Perez said. “I wasn’t. I was yelling at my teammates, happy about the win.

According to both players, there was no past incident or bad blood between them prior to Thursday’s game.

“The only history we have is I gave up a grand slam to him last year,” Perez said. “He is a competitor, I am a competitor. He is on a different team. I am not friends with him. If he is mad I don’t care.”

The two teams play a four-game series in Cleveland beginning on Monday.

“You can use that as motivation in some way,” Rios said. “But let’s just play ball.”

CHICAGO -- Here’s a quick look at the Cleveland Indians’ 7-5 win over the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field on Thursday.

How it happened: White Sox pitcher John Danks’ struggles continued on Thursday. After a rocky April, Danks, the White Sox’s No. 1 starter, didn’t get any better with his first start in May. Danks allowed nine hits, six earned runs, two home runs and one walk in seven innings. His record fell to 2-4 and his ERA rose to 6.51. The Indians scored in four different innings. Jason Kipnis did the most damage with a three-run home run in the seventh inning. It had been a 4-3 game prior to Kipnis’ at-bat. Alejandro De Aza had three hits and two RBIs, and Gordon Beckham had two hits for the White Sox. Adam Dunn's ninth-inning home run was his seventh of the season and cut Cleveland's lead to two runs. But the White Sox got no closer.

What it means: The White Sox dropped their third consecutive series at home and closed out their seven-game home stand with a 2-5 record. The White Sox are 5-9 at home and 12-13 overall this season.

Outside the box: While it may be fun to watch the American League Central standings this early in the year, what the teams are doing now isn’t likely to dictate the final standings. A year ago on May 3, the Indians were 4 ½ games up on the Kansas City Royals and eight games up on the Detroit Tigers. In the end, the Tigers won the division over the Indians by 15 games.

Up next: The White Sox travel to face the Detroit Tigers for a three-game series beginning on Friday. Coming off his American League Pitcher of the Month award, Jake Peavy (3-1, 1.63) takes the mound for the White Sox. Drew Smyly (1-0, 1.23) will start for the Tigers.