Major League Baseball

White Sox pitcher Chris Bassitt gets first big league win, slows Tigers

Published Sep. 22, 2014 11:36 p.m. ET

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Brad Ausmus pointed out Monday afternoon that no one is going to roll over and hand his Detroit Tigers the American League Central title.

Hours later, rookie Chris Bassitt and the White Sox proved the manager right.

Bassitt pitched into the eighth inning for his first major league win, Tyler Flowers hit a two-run homer and Chicago slowed Detroit's playoff push with a 2-0 victory.

"This is competitive athletics, and no one is just going to hand you a game," Ausmus said. "I talked about it before the game -- those guys in the other clubhouse are playing for their futures, and they are playing to win, because that's what you do in this league. We're going to have to win these last games on our own."

Detroit is one game ahead of the second-place Royals, who beat Cleveland 2-0 in their regularly scheduled game Monday night. Hours earlier, the Indians finished off a victory in a suspended game against Kansas City.

The loss assured Detroit would start a division series on the road, even if it wins the AL Central.

"We've got six games left, and we've got control of our fate," reliever Joba Chamberlain said. "That's all you can ask for at this point. If we do our jobs, we'll win the division."

The game turned into an unexpected pitchers' duel between Bassitt and fellow rookie Kyle Lobstein. Both were making their fifth career start, but they looked like aces in the middle of a pennant race.

Bassitt (1-1) went 7-2/3 innings and pitched out of two early jams in front of about 100 family members and friends.

"The first win always means a lot, but being so close to home and having my friends and family here makes it even better," said Bassitt, who grew up in Curtice, Ohio, about an hour south of Comerica Park. "Some of my friends said they were hoping that I'd get a no-decision in a Tigers win, though."

Bassitt, who lost to the Tigers on Aug. 30, gave up six hits, walked one batter -- the last one he faced -- and struck out Alex Avila three times but no one else. Jake Petricka got four outs for his 14th save.

"He located his pitches tonight, which he didn't really do against us the first time," Ian Kinsler said. "Every pitcher in this league is tough when they can locate their stuff."

Lobstein (1-1) was trying for his second victory, but didn't get any offensive support. He allowed two runs on five hits and a walk in a career-best seven innings.

Chicago took a 2-0 lead with a two-out rally in the second. Carlos Sanchez hit a ground-rule double to left-center and, on the next pitch, Flowers lined a homer into the White Sox bullpen.

"I was looking for something out over the plate," Flowers said. "If it was a fastball, I wanted to think right-center, and if it was an off-speed pitch, I wanted to hit it to left. That's what happened."

Detroit had a pair of early threats, but Kinsler was caught stealing in the first inning -- leaving the bases empty for Miguel Cabrera's 50th double. Right fielder Avisail Garcia robbed Cabrera of a probable RBI double with a sliding catch in the third.

"He showed some composure out there, and he competed. That was a nice little outing for him," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said of his young pitcher.

Cabrera hit another ball hard off Bassitt in the eighth, but his line drive was right at Moises Sierra in left. Victor Martinez drew a walk, and Petricka came in to strike out J.D. Martinez.

"That last at-bat for Cabrera, I just didn't want to walk him," Bassitt said. "I was thinking that he might hit one off the scoreboard, but I'm not going to walk him. Luckily, he hit it right at somebody." 

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