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Abreu hits 31st homer, White Sox pound Tigers 11-4

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DETROIT (AP) Jose Abreu homered, drove in four runs - and accomplished something nobody on the Chicago White Sox had managed in 94 years.

Abreu's three-hit night extended his hitting streak to 18 games, and the White Sox routed the Detroit Tigers 11-4 on Tuesday. Abreu has hit safely in 36 of his last 37 games, and this is his second 18-game streak of the year.

The only other player with two 18-game hitting streaks in a season for the White Sox was Hall of Famer Eddie Collins, who had runs of 21 and 22 games in 1920. Collins was already a seasoned veteran by that point. Abreu is in his first year in the majors.

''He comes every day prepared and ready to work,'' manager Robin Ventura said of his 27-year-old Cuban slugger. ''It's a very mature approach, and I know I've said that before, but it's true. He comes here and he gets it right away.''

Abreu and Adam Dunn hit consecutive home runs in the seventh, when the White Sox scored seven runs. Chicago sent 12 batters to the plate in the inning and broke the game open against Anibal Sanchez (7-5) and Joakim Soria. Alexei Ramirez added a three-run double during the rally.

Jose Quintana (6-7) allowed two runs and nine hits in six innings.

Detroit made three errors, including two in that seventh inning. Soria made his first home appearance since the Tigers acquired him in a trade with Texas. He retired only one of the seven batters he faced and allowed his first two homers of the season.

''That was probably the worst outing of my career,'' Soria said. ''You want to make a good impression on the fans and your new team, and then that happens. No matter what pitch I threw, they were right on it. I felt fine, but I missed some over the middle, and they hit all of them.''

With men on first and second and one out in the seventh, Tyler Flowers singled to left, and left fielder Rajai Davis' error allowed a run to score from second. That gave Chicago a 3-2 lead.

Soria replaced Sanchez, and after Adam Eaton's single loaded the bases, Ramirez doubled to make it 6-2. Abreu followed with a two-run homer, his major league-leading 31st of the year. Dunn's solo shot made it 9-2.

Sanchez allowed five runs - four earned - and six hits in 6 1-3 innings. He struck out six and walked two.

QUINTANA SHARP

The Chicago left-hander has a 1.84 ERA in his last eight starts, although he hasn't always gotten much run support. That changed in a big way Tuesday.

''I tried to throw all my pitches, start ahead in the count early,'' Quintana said. ''Sometimes I fight with my delivery, especially early in the count.''

SLUMPING AGAIN

The Tigers still lead the AL Central by five games over Kansas City, but they've lost four in a row. This is their fourth losing streak of at least four games this season.

The White Sox are now seven games out of first.

TRAINER'S ROOM

White Sox: Reliever Matt Lindstrom (left ankle) threw batting practice to outfielder Avisail Garcia (left shoulder) before the game. Garcia has not played since early April, and Lindstrom has been out since mid-May. Ventura says the team will know more about their status when the White Sox return to Chicago for a six-game homestand that starts Friday.

Tigers: Shortstop Eugenio Suarez left the game in the fourth inning with lower back tightness, and third baseman Nick Castellanos was scratched shortly before the game with an injured right index finger. Castellanos was hit with a groundball during batting practice. He and Suarez are both day to day.

''Nick could have hit, and he could have played if we needed him, but we decided to play it safe,'' Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. ''He'll probably be OK tomorrow. With Suarie, we'll just see how he feels tomorrow afternoon.''

ON DECK

White Sox: Right-hander Hector Noesi (5-7) starts against the Tigers on Wednesday night and will try for his third straight win. He allowed four runs in a victory over Detroit on June 9.

Tigers: Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (12-3) takes the mound. He's unbeaten in his last six starts.