Tigers 7, White Sox 1: Justin Verlander struck out eight in seven innings and Ian Kinsler scored twice and drove in two runs as Detroit took the opener of a four-game series from host Chicago.

Torii Hunter added two RBIs, J.D. Martinez had three hits and Ezequiel Carrera and Alex Avila each drove in a run and scored for the Tigers, who pulled within a half-game of first-place Kansas City in the American League Central. Verlander (12-11) scattered nine hits and one run while walking two in his second start back after missing a turn with shoulder inflammation.

Scott Carroll (5-9) was not as sharp and was charged with seven runs - three earned - on 10 hits in five innings as the White Sox fell for the ninth time in 10 games. Adam Eaton and Jose Abreu each had three hits and Adam Dunn drove in a run for Chicago.

Kinsler’s RBI double to left plated the tying run in the third and he came in to score the go-ahead run on Hunter’s sacrifice fly one batter later. Detroit opened things up with a five-run fourth inning, aided by a pair of errors at first by Abreu.

Nick Castellanos pushed across a run with a groundout, Aliva delivered an RBI double before scoring on Abreu’s error and Kinsler and Hunter each tacked on an RBI to cap the uprising. Jim Johnson worked the eighth while Patrick McCoy and Al Alburquerque took care of the ninth to wrap it up for the Tigers.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Abreu has hit safely in nine straight games and has multiple hits in five of the last seven contests. … The Tigers purchased the contract of RHP Evan Reed from Triple-A Toledo, optioned LHP Kyle Lobstein and designated RHP Jose Ortega for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster. … Detroit RHP Joakim Soria (oblique) threw off flat ground for the third time in four days.