DETROIT -- Justin Verlander pitched seven strong innings and Justin Upton drove in a pair of runs as the Detroit Tigers swept the Chicago White Sox with a 5-2 victory Sunday.Detroit came into the series having lost eight of its last 10 games against left-handed starters, but beat a trio of Chicago lefties: Carlos Rodon, Chris Sale and Carlos Quintana.Verlander (5-5) allowed homers to Jose Abreu and Todd Frazier, but got himself out of two major jams in order to win for the third time in four starts. He gave up five hits and a walk while striking out eight. 
Shane Greene and Francisco Rodriguez finished, with Rodriguez picking up his 15th save.Quintana (5-6) took the loss, allowing a season-high five runs on nine hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings. It was the first time he didn't finish five innings.Abreu gave the White Sox a 1-0 lead with a long homer into the shrubbery atop the center field fence, but Verlander pitched out of a jam in the third.Alex Avila, who has caught more of Verlander's starts than any other player, opened the inning with a walk and took third on Tyler Saladino's double. Verlander, though, got Adam Eaton to tap back to the mound before striking out Jason Coats and Abreu to end the inning.The Tigers took advantage in the half, with Cameron Maybindrawing a two-out walk and scoring on Miguel Cabrera's double.Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias saved Verlander in the top of the fifth, making a diving stop of Saladino's one-out grounder to hold Jimmy Rollins at third. James McCann then grabbed Eaton's bunt and threw him out at first to end the inning.Quintana walked J.D. Martinez with the bases loaded to make it 2-1 in the bottom half and Nick Castellanos followed with an RBI single. Upton drove a 3-0 fastball into the left field corner for a two-run double that ended Quintana's day.
Shane Greene and Francisco Rodriguez finished, with Rodriguez picking up his 15th save.Quintana (5-6) took the loss, allowing a season-high five runs on nine hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings. It was the first time he didn't finish five innings.Abreu gave the White Sox a 1-0 lead with a long homer into the shrubbery atop the center field fence, but Verlander pitched out of a jam in the third.Alex Avila, who has caught more of Verlander's starts than any other player, opened the inning with a walk and took third on Tyler Saladino's double. Verlander, though, got Adam Eaton to tap back to the mound before striking out Jason Coats and Abreu to end the inning.The Tigers took advantage in the half, with Cameron Maybindrawing a two-out walk and scoring on Miguel Cabrera's double.Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias saved Verlander in the top of the fifth, making a diving stop of Saladino's one-out grounder to hold Jimmy Rollins at third. James McCann then grabbed Eaton's bunt and threw him out at first to end the inning.Quintana walked J.D. Martinez with the bases loaded to make it 2-1 in the bottom half and Nick Castellanos followed with an RBI single. Upton drove a 3-0 fastball into the left field corner for a two-run double that ended Quintana's day.
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