Tigers 5, White Sox 4

DETROIT – Bobby Higginson drew a tiebreaking, bases-loaded walk with two out in the eighth inning to help the Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox 5-4 for Chicago’s sixth straight loss.

The game was delayed an hour and a minute after three innings because of rain.

Damaso Marte (4-4) loaded the bases in the eighth. Alex Sanchez led off with an infield single, Carlos Guillen singled with one out and Rondell White walked with two out to load the bases. Marte then walked Higginson on a 3-2 pitch.

Esteban Yan (1-2) got two outs for the win and Ugueth Urbina pitched a perfect ninth for his 17th save in 19 opportunities.

Detroit starter Wilfredo Ledezma struck out four in three hitless innings before the delay. Roberto Novoa came on when the game resumed and allowed three hits and two unearned runs in three innings.

White Sox starter Jon Garland allowed four runs on five hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out four.

Dmitri Young put Detroit up 2-0 in the first with his seventh homer of the season. Chicago tied it with two runs in the sixth on only one hit.

After Jamie Burke led off the inning with a bunt single, Aaron Rowand laid down a sacrifice bunt attempt. But third baseman Eric Munson’s throw sailed over the head of Young at first and into the right-field corner. Rowand was credited with a single as Burke scored and Rowand went to third. He was then brought in by Carlos Lee’s sacrifice fly.

The Tigers broke the tie in the sixth on Guillen’s double and White’s sacrifice fly.

But the White Sox tied it up again in the eighth off on RBI singles by Lee and Paul Konerko off reliever Danny Patterson.

Pinch-hitter Ross Gload led off with an infield single and Rowand followed with a single to left. After Willie Harris’ strikeout, Lee and Konerko singled in the runs.

Notes: Detroit C Ivan Rodriguez didn’t play because of upper back spasms that forced him to leave Thursday night’s game in the third inning. … Infante’s single in the first inning broke an 0-for-11 slump. … Chicago’s Juan Uribe is 7-for-55 in July. … Lee has 16 RBI in his last 12 games.

AP-ES-07-30-04 2300EDT