White Sox tame Tigers to clinch AL Central title
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-09-30 09:07

NEW YORK, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Paul Konerko homered and Freddy Garcia delivered seven strong innings to carry the Chicago White Sox to a 4-2 win over the Detroit Tigers to clinch the American League (AL) Central Division title on Thursday.

The victory sends Chicago to the post-season for the first time since 2000.

It also ends months of nervous hand-wringing by White Sox fans, who had seen their team's 15-game lead atop the division dwindle to 1 1/2 as the Cleveland Indians made a run at the crown.

The Indians now turn attentions to the AL wildcard race where they are tied with the Boston Red Sox.

The White Sox attempted to end the suspense early as they went ahead 4-0 after two innings before holding on as the Tigers rallied for two late runs at Comerica Park.

Garcia (14-8) yielded two runs on eight hits with five strikeouts in seven-plus innings to take credit for the win.

After Cliff Politte and Neal Cotts worked the White Sox out of an eighth-inning jam, Bobby Jenks came on to record the final four outs to secure the victory and his fourth save of the season.

Carl Everett stroked a two-out, two-run triple in the first inning before Scott Podsednik's sacrifice fly scored AJ Pierzynski in the second.

Konerko's 40th homer of the season in the sixth gave Chicago a 4-0 lead.

The Tigers then scored runs in the seventh and eighth.

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