Jon Garland continues to befuddle White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen with his inconsistency and occasional lack of focus.
“I talked to him about it,” Guillen said. “I said, ‘Are you going to be a fifth starter or a long reliever? Or are you going to be a Roger Clemens-type?’ “
Garland (7-7, 4.52 ERA) did little Sunday to change Guillen’s opinion, although he kept the Sox in the game for six innings. A grand slam by Marcus Thames off reliever Mike Jackson in the Tigers’ five-run seventh inning helped Detroit win 9-2 at U.S. Cellular Field.
The loss snapped the Sox’s four-game winning streak and dropped them a half-game behind the Twins, who come to town for a three-game series beginning Monday.
Garland threw 113 pitches, allowing four runs on six hits. “I want him to be more aggressive in the strike zone,” Guillen said.
The Sox took a 1-0 lead in the second when Paul Konerko hit his 26th home run of the season. Detroit starter Jeremy Bonderman was ejected two batters later when he hit Aaron Rowand with a pitch.
Tigers manager Alan Trammel vehemently objected and also was ejected by plate umpire Kevin Kelley. Rowand disagreed with Bonderman’s ejection. “It was a breaking ball,” Rowand said. “It wasn’t intentional.”
