Jeff Agrest

With the call-up of outfielder Junior Perez from Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday, the Sox tied the 1944 Reds for the most players to make their big-league debut before the All-Star break at 13.

Sox fans surely breathed a sigh of relief when Benintendi hit a tiebreaking pinch-hit, first-pitch grand slam in the eighth to reward Burke and give his team a 5-1 victory, avoiding a three-game sweep.

Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander, a surefire Hall of Famer, seemed to wonder Friday if he'll ever pitch again after the team scratched him from his start Sunday against the White Sox because of a strained left hamstring.

“That's where it gets lost with guys that play in the middle or even just on the left side of the infield,” Sox third-base and infield coach Justin Jirschele told the Sun-Times. “Go over to first base, and it'll be easy. But it's not.”

It's not often that the first person reporters approach in the clubhouse after a game is an injured player who's out for the season. But that was the case Friday night at Comerica Park.

The Sox had four hits, scoring only on Sam Antonacci’s leadoff home run, in a 4-1 loss. After the homer, the Sox didn’t get another hit until the seventh inning.

Manager Will Venable has used an opener plenty this season, and he'll continue to, even though starters generally prefer to start games.

The Sox let leads of two runs in the eighth, one run in the ninth and one in the 10th disappear, falling to the Tigers 5-4 on Sunday and getting swept in the three-game series.

While Venable continues to learn how to do the job, many of his players are learning how to do theirs, as well. That mix of inexperience could be lethal for many teams. For the Sox, it has been rejuvenating.

The Sox optioned Edgar Quero to Charlotte. He has had a rough second big-league season, slashing .187/.253/.233 with two home runs, 15 RBI and 12 runs scored in 55 games.