White Sox 9, Tigers 2

CHICAGO – Aaron Rowand homered twice – including his first career grand slam – and Jose Contreras won his third straight decision for Chicago in the White Sox’s 9-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was back at the ballpark after spending a night in a hospital because of a kidney stone. He skipped Wednesday night’s game against the Tigers to complete the two-game suspension he began serving Tuesday.

Contreras (11-5) allowed two runs and six hits in 6 2-3 innings. He struck out six and walked four. Contreras, acquired at the trade deadline from the New York Yankees for Esteban Loaiza, is 3-0 with a 3.04 ERA in four starts for the White Sox.

Mike Jackson threw a scoreless ninth for Chicago, becoming the ninth pitcher in major league history with 1,000 appearances.

The White Sox jumped on Jeremy Bonderman (6-10) right away, scoring five times in the first inning.

Timo Perez drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on Roberto Alomar’s groundout and went to third on Carlos Lee’s infield hit. Perez then scored on a wild pitch by Bonderman. After striking out Paul Konerko, Bonderman hit Carl Everett with a pitch and walked Jose Valentin to load the bases.

Rowand followed by hitting a 438-foot shot over the center-field wall to give the White Sox a 5-0 lead.

Ben Davis, 3-for-4, doubled leading off the fourth and scored on Perez’s RBI single.

Bonderman gave up six runs on five hits in 3 2-3 innings. He has lost his last four decisions, and hasn’t won since he beat the New York Yankess on July 7.

The Tigers scored twice in the fifth. Contreras walked Nook Logan, who went to third on Omar Infante’s double and scored on Bobby Higginson’s RBI single. Infante then scored on Carlos Guillen’s fielder’s choice.

In the sixth, Tigers reliever Roberto Novoa hit Rowand in the back with a pitch leading off the inning. Rowand was the third White Sox batter hit by a pitch, prompting plate umpire Joe West to issue warnings to both clubs.

Novoa was chased after giving up back-to-back singles to Davis and Joe Crede. Rowand scored on Crede’s single and one out later, Alomar drove in Davis with an RBI single off Jamie Walker, making it 8-2.

Rowand hit his second homer of the night off Walker in the seventh, tying his career high with five RBIs. It was the second two-homer game, with the last coming against Boston last Friday.

Notes: Tigers C Ivan Rodriguez was a late scratch from the lineup with a sore right hip. … White Sox bench coach Harold Baines managed the club in Guillen’s absence. … Konerko left in the sixth inning with a bruised left forearm.

AP-ES-08-18-04 2256EDT